Of Christs Flesh.

The First matter wee will speake to you is, (whe­rein your iniquitie doth greatly abound) that you have amongst you, that deny Christ to have taken Flesh of Mary: some holding that he brought it from heaven, and some not knowing from whence hee brought it, both w [...]ich destroy the Faith of Christ, who are such as Thapostle 2. Pet. 2, 1. Speaketh of, which privily bring in damnable herisies, even denying the Lord that hath bought them.

To say somethinge to the First that hold that he brought it from heaven, that the grossnes of their black error may appeare. The ground of scriptures testifie that that which is from heaven is heavenly, therefore if Christ brought his Flesh from heaven, thē he must have had a heavenly body, in that there can come nothinge from heaven, but that which is heavē ­ly, and Thapostle 1. Cor. 15. saith of heavenly bodyes: They are glorious, they are not weake but of power, they are spirituall, they are [...]mortall. Now in that Christs bodie was mortall and died, it was not a hea­venly, glorious, spi [...]ituall, powerfull bodie: but was an earthly, naturall weake body, and had the same infir­mities that our bodies have (sinne excepted, as is she­wed Heb. 4.15. For wee have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirme­ties, but was in all thinges tempted in like sort, yet without sinne as also Chap. 5.2. which is able suffici­ently to have compassion on them that are ignorant, a [...]d that are out of the way, because that he also is compassed with infirmitie. And his infirmities ap­peare in that he was hungrie Mat. 4 2. He was weary Ioh. 4.6. He was trobled, and his soule was in great heavin [...] Mat. 14.33.34. And he confesteth his Flesh is weake. Mat. 26.41. All these infirmieties, nor anie, [Page 9] infirmitie could not come from heaven, for in heaven there is no imperfection not imperfect thinge. And wee demaunde can heavenly bodies be weary? can they be hungrie? can they be trobled, and their soules be in heavines? or are they weake and mortall? then is there miserie in heaven, which cannot be. Therefore it is to be concluded, never to be denyed, by anie that have Grace, that Christ brought not his Flesh from heaven, in that there was infirmitie and weakenes (which is imperfection) in his Flesh. And heere) have­ing so fitt occasion) let us pe [...]e a word by the way, to them, in whose sinne death & hell hath consented, which say that God was turned into, or made Flesh. How could God be made weake Flesh? whch was full of infirmities, as hath bene shewed by the scrip­tures Christs Flesh was. And whereas some of these say, that all that Christ suffered and did in the Flesh was but in shewe, it shalbe unto them according to their faith, if they repent not, for they shall have a Sa­viour but in shewe and though the wilfull perverse stiffnes of these mē promi [...]se littile hope, yet let us say, what by the Grace of God wee are anie way able, if wee might by our best endeavours stopp men from runing so violently to condem [...]ion in this accursed iudgment that they hold, which say, all that Christ suffered and did heare upon earth, was but in shewe.

And for this purpose wee will commend the godly disposed Reader unto the xv. th. Chap. of the first to the Corinths, where Thappostle declares unto them againe, the Gospell which he had formerly preached, and which they had received, and whereby they were saved, except they had beleeued in vaine. And he she­weth that first of all he had delivered unto them, that Christ died for their sinnes, and that he was buried, & rose again the third day. So wee preach, ad so have you beleved saith Thapostl not with standing a [...]l this, some [Page 10] Corinthians were fallen to say that there was no resurerection of the dead, with whome Thappostle (because he knewe that they had recevid and beleeved that Christ died and was raised againe) reasoneth thus: If there be no resurrection of the dead then is Chrst not risen, and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine, and your faith is also vaine, and wee are found also false witnesses of God, for wee have testified of God that he hath raised up Christ, whome he hath not raised up, if so be the dead be not raised. Ior if the dead be not raised then is Christ not raised, and if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine, ye are yet in your sinnes: and they that are a sleepe in Christ are perished; and if in this life onely wee have hope in Christ, wee are of all men most miserable. The Appostle by these undenyable arguments and reasons proves Christs death and resurrection: First that Christ died ver. 3. And for profe of that, he takes the testimony of the scriptures, and by the same profe and warrant he proves that [...]e was buried and ros againe and for further confirmation of his being raised from the dead, Thap­postle produceth the witnes and testimony of Cephas saw him and of the twelve, and he was seene of more then fyve hundreth brethren at once; and after of Iames: Then of all the Appostles, and l [...]st of all of himself, and he addeth for further proofe hereof, their preaching, so wee preach saith Thappostle, and he appealeth unto their owne consciences, for this truth of Christs death and resurrection in saying unto them so have you be­leeved.

Heare Thappostle, that they might be brought to the sight of the depth of the iniquitie of this their er­ror, declares unto them, what doth necessarily followe if there be no resurrection, and so Ch [...]ist be not raised from the dead. And first concerning us saith Thappostle, [Page 11] (you that say there is no resurrection, and so that Christ is not risen From the dead) this followeth, you make all our preaching vaine, and so are wee preachers of vanie thinges, And you make us also false witnesses of God, for wee have testified of God, that he hath rased up Christ from the dead and this reproach do you cast upon us. And upon your selves this evill do you b [...]ing in saing there is no resurrection, and so that Christ is not risen From the dead, your owne faith is in vaine, you have a vaine faith and you are yet in your sinnes, all your sinnes rest upon you: further more by his your saying, you bring this iudgment upon all that are dead in Christ: that they are all perished and all the faith full in Christ that are leveing, you make them of all men most miserable. And haveing thus layde before them all the evill of this there saying there is no resurrection, he concludes, but now is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the First fruits of them that sleepe.

To turne all this evill that Thappostle hath Heere shewed unto the Corinthians (that said there was no resurrection where by it followed that Christ was not risen) upon all those that say Christ died but in shewe, and so died not at all in truth, it is most plaine that all this evill comes upon their heads, for in that they say Christ died but in shewe, they must needs say, he did rise againe but in shewe, and so was there no resurrecti­on in truth. And here do they (most miserable men that they are all) make Thappostles preaching most vaine, for then are they preachers of vanities and sha­dowes, if Christ be dead but in shewe: so do they make them false witnesses of God, for they have testified of God that he rasied up Christ from the dead, whome he hath not raised up, if so it be he died not. Then is the faith of the faith full in vaine, and their sinnes are yet [Page 12] them, if Christ be not dead and risen againe, then are all that are a sleepe in Christ perished and all the faith­full liveing are of all men most miserable. But we con­clude against them all that say Christ died but in shew with the same words that the Apostle concludes against the Corinthians. But now Christ died, and is ri­sen againe from the dead, and was made the first fruts of them that slept. And therefore Thappostles preach­inges are not vaine, neither are they false witnesses of God. And the faith of the faithfull is not in vaine, neither are any parte of there sinnes abidinge or re­mayning yet vpon them And the faithfull that are a sleepe are not perished; neither are the faithfull in this life of all men most miserable. But all this is their portion that say Christ died but in shewe (which is not at all) their preaching is vaine, and they are pre­achers of most vaine thinges. And they are false wit­nesses of God, in that they testifie that Christ died not, and so that God raised him not vp from the dead, their faith is vaine, and they are yet in their sinnes, and all that are dead in this their false faith are peris­hed: and thus are their estates herein most miserable.

VVhat were sufficient to speake against this wicked blasphemous opinion of theirs, which say Christ, suf­ferings and death were but in shewe, these are they that in the highest degree deny Christ to be come in the Fle [...]h: or if they did confes [...]e and beleeve that Christ were come in the Flesh, then must they of force confesse that he died, for all Flesh must needs dye and be changed as is shewed Isa. 10.6. and 1. Pet 1.24 All Flesh is grasse, and all the glory thereof is as the Flower of the Feild. And all the glory of man is as the Flower of grasse which withereth and Falleth away. All the disciples of Ch [...]ist never made question of his death for they saw and were sore he was dead, and therefore they began to doubt of his resurrection [Page 13] through infidelitie, which there had bene no cullor for them to doubt of, if they had bene of these mens opi­nion, that he died but in shewe.

In that all that is spoken of the resurrection from the dead, is spoken of Christ, it shall not be amisse yet further to consider what the holy ghost by the Ap­postle sheweth in this 1. Cor. 15. Chap. concerning the resurrection from the dead, for by his resurrection his death shall appeare. This is that then which Tha­postl hath sett downe heare concerninge Christs death and resurrectiō and concerning his naturall and earth­ly bodie, and his spi [...]ituall and heavenly body, Thap­postle doth shewe first of all in the 3. Vers. That Christ died, and Vers. 20. Now is Christ risen from the dead, and Vers. 35. there is a question how the dead are rai­sed up: to which question the Appostle annsweres, speaking of all dead bodies in generall, and of Christs dead bodie in particuler (whome he hath shewed in the 20. Vers. to be the first friuts of them that sleepe) That which thou sowest (saith Thappostle) is not qu [...] ­ned except it dye, teaching hereby as he had shewed before that Christs body did dye, and all bodies must dye first, or els they cannot be quickned, that is, raised againe from the dead vers. 36. Then it being most evi­dently in this scripture proved. That Christ was rai­sed from the dead, it is as evidently heere proved that he must needs, and did first dye: for (saith Thappostl [...]) it could not be quickned except it first dye. And Tha­postl haveing thus annswered to that part of the que­stion, in sheweing how the dead are raised, then he proceeds to the second question, whch is, with what bodies come they furth, to which questione hee ans­wereth Vers. 37.38. Thou sowest not that body that shalbe, but God giveth it a body at his pleasure, to eve­ry seed his owne body. Heere Thapostle sheweth, that Chr. body, & all bodyes th [...]t are of Chr. (for of those [Page 14] onely doth he speake as appeareth vers. 23.) are not rai­sed in the resurrection with those bare bodies that are sowen, but God giveth a bodie at his pleasure; even to every seed his owne body, that is to the seed of man, all one body (to them which are raised in Christ) for there is but one Flesh of men. The Apostle haveing Heere First shewed, that the same bare body that is sowne shall not so be raised up againe, then he sheweth what manner of body it shalbe in the resurrection, and wherein it shall differ from that wch was sowen and died. In the 40. vers saith Thappostle, there are heaven­ly bodies, and earthly bodies, and in the 49. vers. wee shall [...]eare the [...]mage of the heavenly. Heere is set [...] with what manner of bodies the dead are rased and [...] being the [...] fruits of the dead, with such a body was he raysed: then followeth how the hea­venly body and the earthly body do differ in glo­ [...] the earthly body is corrupt, dish [...]norable, we [...]ke, naturall, and mortall. The heavenly body i [...] incorrupt glorious, stronge spirituall, immortall. The image of the earthly body wee have from the First Adam, wch was made (saith Thappostle) a l [...]v [...]ing soule, that is, naturall and earthly. The ymage of the heavenly body all that are of Christ shall have from the last Adam a quic [...]ing spirit, that is, spirituall, heavenly wch is the ymage of Christs glorious as body after his resurrection. Thus wee see the whole d [...]st and intent of Thappostl in all this scripture is to prove the resurrection from the dead, and how the dead rise, and with what man­ner of bodies and all this by Christs death and re­surrection, because as he died and risse againe, in the fair [...] order vers 23. with the same bodies vers. [...]9. shall all that are of Christ use againe, proveing hereby also that Christ [...]d a naturall earthly, and mortall body; sowen in co [...]uption, in dishonor, and in weake­raised [Page 15] in incorruption, in glory, in power, a spirituall body, Heavenly, immortall, what can be more plaine­ly set downe, if men that have eies would see, and would not wincke with their eies; why will men per­vert the scriptures to their owne distruction? takeing Heere a peece of a sentence, and there a peece, and ne­ver lookeing to the scope and sence. And thus much according to our smale talent to shewe the error of them that are fallen, to so deepe distruction, as to say, God was turned into flesh, and so his death and all his sufferings were but in shewe: and to say them (if by the grace of God it may be) that are not fallen so far.

And now to speake to them that knowe not from whence Christ had his flesh, they see it proved that from heaven he could not have it, for then there could not possibly have bene infirmitie in it. They see fur­ther, or through the grace of God might se, that Christ had a naturall, earthly, mortall body, and that there is but one Flesh of men will they still remaine igno­rant and doubting whence Christ had his flesh [...] then do they still remaine in sinne. Let them therefore leave their doubting (wch is through their ignorance) if they looke for salvation by Christ and let them knowe and beleeve from the scriptures of God. That Christ is of the seed of David, and of the Isralites according to the Flesh. Rom. 2.3. And 9.5. The Sonne of Mary the vir­gine, made of hi [...] substance. Gal. 4.4. And so doth this agree with the First pr [...]mis [...]e made concerning Christ Gen. 3.15. VVhere [...] is spoken by God: That the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head, without wch knowledg and Faith, no man shall ever be saved: ffor there is no salvation, but by Christ the promissed seed of the woman. Those the [...]fore am [...] you that [Page] will not knowe and beleeve that Christ is the seed of the woman, conceyued in hi [...] wombe, by the power of the most high overshadowing hir, shall never be saved by Christ the promissed seed of the woman. This then is your great sinne that you suffer manie amongst you that mainteyne a false faith concerning where Christ had his Flesh; and you approve and allowe of some, that hold and mainteyne no faith concerning where Christ had his Flesh, and so do you approve and mainteyne them in their sinne, for whatsoever anie holds or mainteynes not of saith is sinne: and to be ignorant of anie part of that the scriptures hath manifested is sinne, and to determyne to remaine ig­norant, and so to continewe unto the end is death for without repentance anie one sinne is death as Thappostle Iames sheweth Iam. 2.10. VVho soever shall kepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is giltie of all. Deceyve not simple soules then by noriushing them in their sinne, which you do, in saying it is not needfull to salvation to knowe whence Christ had his Flesh, as though there were anie part of the law or gospell, not needfull to salvation. And if there be anie part of the law not needfull then Christ need not to have come to fulfill the whole law, which he did as he saith Mat. 5.17. And if there be anie part of the gospel of salvation (which Christ hath purchased with his blood Ephe. 1.13.14.) not needfull to salva­tion, then Christ hath purchased more then is need­full. In the feare of God walke not thus by your owne inventions, leading and suffering simple soules, to wal­ke in the waies of death and condemnation.

Of the day of rest.

The second is, that manie among you (and how farr you are all poluted wee knowe not but have great cause to feare) do professe & practice not to kepe the seaventh day, a day of rest, & holy vnto the lord, abolishing here­in the law, which was given in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assemblie, and which was written in the Tables with the finger of God, as is shewed Exod. 20.8.9.10.11. and Deut. [...].10. Of all wch whole law, our saviour Christ saith Ma [...]. 5, 17.18. I am not come to distroy, but to fulfill: for truely I say vnto you, till heaven, and earth perish, one jot [...] or one title of the law shall not scape till all thinge [...] be fulfilled: not with standing all the spoken by God the father, & Iesus Christ his sonne, manie of you with an high hand, [...] out, and distroy one of these Ten Commandements written by the finger of God Exod. 34.28. and you will have but Nyne, ren [...]g a sunder the law of God, and casting away what is not pleasing vnto you. Not hol­ding the examples of the disciples of Christ a sufficient rule of direction for you, who as is shewed Act. 20.7 and 1. Cor. 16.1, 2. The first day of the weake came to­gether to breake bread. Vpon euery vvhich first day of the weeke, when they were come together Paul ordey­ned in the Churches that every one should lay aside for the necessitie of the Saincts, that there might be no ga­thering when he came.

How will you be able to stand before the lord here­in [...] H [...] hath established a law, the which it is more ea­sie that heaven and earth should passe away, then that one title of the law should fall Iuc. 16.17. And if you now be able to shewe (which God forbid that anie should be so wicked as to enterp [...]ise) that all these [Page 17] words, spoken and written by God himself. Remember the Sabath day to keepe it holy, be no part, jot, nor tit­tle of this law, then you have some cullor for the evill you practice and professe herein: but dare anie moueth of blasphemy speake it? or anie hand of blasphemy write it? wee hope no, why then give glory to God, & repent of this your sinne, and pray the lord that if it be possible the thoughts of your harts, the blasphemy of your mouethes, and the wickednes of your hands may be forgiven you. And sinne not as you do against God, in turning away your feet from the Sabath of the lord, and doeing your owne wills on his holy day, wherein also you do wronge to man, and beast, to whome the lord hath in mercie given a speciall day of rest. But yet further to shewe you that wich you shall never be able to annswere. Our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24.20. speakeing of the distruction of Ierusalem (which was to come to passe, & did, long after his death) saith. Pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabath day, she­weing vndenyably, that ther should still remaine a spe­ciall day of rest, for the people of God to worship him on: vpon which day Christs bidds them pray that their flight be not, that they might not be forced to flie whē they should rest and worshipp God. And if our Saviour Christ had ment that his disciples should have bene of your iudgment, it had bene all one, vpon what day their flight had bene. God give you grace to see your great error herein, that you may not still be hate full to God, and men, and Beasts. And thus much of this, except further occation be offered: Omitting to she­we you all the confusion you bring into the Church when there shalbe no day certen whereon the disci­ples ought to come together, to edifie one an other, to breake bread, to pray, and to gather for the Saincts, if your rule be true (which is as false as God is true) they [Page 18] chuse, whether they will come at all, except you have authoritie to make a law to bind them, which sure you have not from God: even so do you confound hereby all due proceeding in the rule of admonition by the Church, if there be no certen day when the Church are bound to meet. But wee wi [...]l passe by this, hopeing you will fall vnder the former ground, and then you will easily see (through the grace of God) all these thinges, and manie mo [...]e which accompanie that your error, that do vtterly destroy all godlines, Religion, and the holy communion of Saincts. Therefore repēt and for­sake this your error, for if you do thus distroy the lawe of God, there can be no Religion of God in you.

Of Succession.

T [...] [...] your Leaders are [...] them that mainteyne a Succession, and that [...], and you will ha­ve all [...], and tongues to come to you, and [...] Ordinances of Christ: and [...] administer in the holy [...] to you, and [...] and [...] power and all the holy [...] with the man of sinne [...] called o [...] God, and [...] vnder the [...] vnder the [...] Rom. 3.1.2.) [...] because [...] of God. [...] your [...] manner of way? [...] of credit to [...] but [...] con­fess [...] [...] and the [...] vnto [...] proceed from [...] Ierusalem [...] call your [...] you and [...] do, to your [...] them to it, and to them [Page 21] everlasting distruction in so d [...]ing and suffering them selves to be to dra [...]n. Thus then [...] speake of the heavenly [...] And [...] people shall [...] vp to the mountaine of the [...] to the [...] of the God of [...] will [...] S [...]on, and [...] manner speaketh [...] [...]rd shall send the [...] these Prophecies [...] [...] become [...] you this [...] [...] taught the [...] when he said [...] word of the lord our [...] you onely [...] you also taught of [...] humbled, and humble your selve [...] people▪ [...]

If this will not [...] word [...] be called [...] Prophet [...] Compact together [...] the Tithes of the [...] to praise the name of the [...] you this [...] I [...] you be the [...] but the Tithes must come to [...] the grace of God [...] you cannot [...] but you will [...] shalbe the people. And [...] [Page 22] Mount Syon, which cannot be removed? and shal you remaine for ever? If you can promisse this of your sel­ves, you go beyond all the excellent Churches that are spokē of in the new testament, whereof there remaines no mention at this day to be seene but onely that the scriptures testify that such Churches there were but not one of them hath remained vnto this day. There­fore none of them were Mount Syon. And will you lift vp your horne on high, and be more then they all? this is the foolishnes of folly, beare with our rudenes: The lord knoweth wee seeke his glory and your good he­rein, although our infirmities may too much appeare. It is your turning from these your evills that wee disire, for Godes glorie and the salvation of your soules: and therefore will wee through Gods grace, endeavour yet further to shewe you your error in this point.

The Prophet in the 48. Psal. 2.3. Seaketh on this wise Mount Syon Northward is faire in scituation, it is the joy of the whole earth & the Citie of the great king. In the Palaces thereof God is knowne for a refuge, and vers. 8. God will establish it for ever, Selah. To add vnto this, the glorious discription so at large sett downe by Iohn. Reuel. 21.10. VVhere he saw, that great Citie that holy Ierusalem descending out of heaven from God, whose wall had twelve foundations, ād in them the na­mes of the twelve Appostles of the lambe vers. 14. wch Citie hath no need of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to shinne in it, for the glorie of God doth light it, and the lambe is the light of it vers. 23. And the people that are lived shall walke in the light of it vers. 24. And the Nation, & the kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish: and these nations shalbe vtterly distroyed Isa. 60.12. See your selves now how unlike you are this Citie: are you the joy of the whole earth? sorrowe is the ioy that wee the poore winesses of Christ have in you for our partes, as you shall further heare: do [Page 23] the people that are saved walke in the light of you? and shall the nation, and kingdome that will not serve you perish? God forbid: be content and glade to ha­ve this Citie your joy, and to be Citizens of this Citie, and to walke in the light of it, and to serve it or els you shall perish and be destroyed. But this Citie cannot perish nor be destroyed, but you may be, and therefore you are not this Ierusalem: and the world knowes that you are not the earthly Ierusalem, wincke not with your eies but see, and st [...]pp not your eares but heare how the word of God doth convince you in this your error.

And now wee beseech the vpright harted amongst you to be willing to heare what Thappostle Paule doth shewe Ierusalem to be, and followe not your owne in­ventions herein. Th'appostle to the Gal. 4.22-26. she­weth, that Abraham had two sonnes, and two wives, one sonne by a servant, and one by a free woman, he wch was borne of the servant was borne after the flesh, and he that was of the freewoman was borne by promisse. By the which thinges, another thinge is ment (saith Th'appostle) for these mothers are the two testamen­tes, The one which is Hagar or Syna is a mountaine in Arabia, and it aunswereth to Ierusalem which now is, and she is in bondage with hir children. But Ierusalem which is above, is free which is the mother of us all. Thus doth Th'appostle so plainely as is possible (for the vnderstanding of all) teach, that by Hagar the bond wo­man, is mente the old Ierusalem which is the old Testa­ment, with all the carnal ordinances there of. And by Sarah the free woman, is ment the new Ierusa. the new Testament, with all the spirituall ordinances thereof. And this spirituall mother, which is Sarah the free wo­man, the new Ierusalem, the new Testament, is mother of all that are borne after the spirit: and they are hir childrē, as Th'appostle saith of himsel [...] & others▪ vers. 31 [Page 24] Now will you be this Ierusalem, the mother of all the faith full? will it not suffice you to be children, but you must be the mother of all? Do but see how herein you agree with that Antichrist of Rome that wil be the mo­ther of all Churches. How farr contrary is this to all the rest of your profession, who professe such humble­nes of mynd in all thinges, and yet hereyn to seeke thus highly to advice yours selves above the poore servants of God, that through his grace and mercie by the po­wer of his word and spirit, are borne children of the free woman: and though weak childrē, yet borne as free as you or anie: what great evill is this (in soo maine of you as would to seeke to bring vs in bondage vnto you when you cannot (by aine warrant of Gods word) have anie more freedome in anie holy thinge, or to anie holy thinge, then wee, if wee be all the Children of one mo­ther, for then are wee brethren. Synne not thus against God, and wronge not vs, by seeking to tread vs vnder your feet, which you do, in advanceing your selves over vs to bring vs in subiection, who are borne as free as you.

This being by the word of God made cleare that neither you, nor anie Church, congregation, or people, are Ierusalem, it will easily follow, that nether you nor anie Church congregation or people are the kingdome of heaven for the heavenly Ierusalem, and the kingdome of heaven are all one, as all that have anie vnderstanding agree and knowe. Therefore it shall not be needfull to vse [...] w [...]rds mo in this cause, lett vs inshort there­fore shewe what the scriptures speaketh of the king­dome of heaven. Our Saviour Christ Luc. 4.34. Saith thus. Surely I must also preach the kingdome of God to other Cities for therefore am I sent. This kingdome cannot in anie vnderstandinge be ment of anie people, for it must be preached to a people and this agrees with [Page 25] that before spoken of Ierusalem which is, that it is the new Testament. And thus speaketh our Saviour Christ Ioh. 3.5. except a man be borne of water and of the spirit, he cannot [...] into the kingdome of God, whe­reby it is so plaine as anie thinge can be that no people are the kingdome of God, but that people ought to en­ter into the kingdome of God, and when they are en­tred, then are of the kingdome of God and children of the kingdome Mat. 13.38. And therefore wee pray the Godly reader to consider, that there is a difference be­twix the kingdome, and the people otherwise where was the kingdom before your [...]irst begininge? was there no kingdome, for your first beginners to enter in­to? did they make a kingdome and enter into it and all of themselves? then sure it was not the kingdome of God, and it stands you vpon to looke it be for if they set vp a new kingdome, they entred not into Christs kingdome, for Christs kingdome was and is an everla­sting kingdome, and cannot be shaken, as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth Heb. 12.22. speaking of mo­unt Syon, the Cittie of the liveing God, the Celestiall Ierusalem Vers. 28. Seeing wee receive a kingdome that cannot be shaken, let vs have grace, whereby wee may so serve God, that wee may please him with reverence and feare.

VVee have endeavoured with our best abilities (wch you may see are smale) to speake the larger of this point because wee our selves have bene formerly misledd with this error, that the Church is the kingdome of heaven, and monut Syon, and because wee knowe some others are strongly possessed therewith, which not with standing hold not Succession, but indeed it is the ground of all Succession for if the Church be Ierusalem, then must there needs be Succession, for there mus [...] needs be adue proportion of all thinges betwene the [Page 26] Tipe & the truth, betwene the old Ieru: & the new Ieru: betwēe the shadow & the substāce. And there being therfore Successiō in the old Testamēt, there must of ne­cessitie be Succession in the new. If therefore you can prove your selves Ierusalem, wee yeild you all the Pre­rogatiue of Ierusalem. Then must all people & nations come to you, and receive all the holy ordināces from you. Then must all sacrifices be offered vp in you. And then they that are not in you, are not in Christ. And all that are borne of water & of the spirit, must enter into you, and all that are saved must walke in the light of you. And then are you the ioy of the whole earth. Thē must you be perached to other Cities, and then can you not be shaken, for Christes kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome, which shall never be taken away nor be destroyed Dan. 7.14. But you may be shaken, & ta­ken away, and destroyed though you were as ex­celent a Church as Corinth. Ephesus, Phillippi, The­ssa: Smyrna, Philadelphia, for all they are shaken, ta­ken away, & destroyed, which were much more ex­cellent Churches then you, euen so may you much more be. Therefore you are not the kingdome of heaven: nor that heavenly Ierusalem, and so those pre­vileges belong not to you, which you challenge, and some wretched men have given you (whose condem­nation sleepeth not) and all vnder that culler of your being Ierusalem.

And let vs now bring to trial your other ground con­cerning this cause, which is. That the ordinances of Christ being (as you call it) once raised vp againe they are not to be raised anie more, but all men must fetch thē from those that raised them vp, or from them that have received them at their handes by Succession First wee say vnto you that, which some of you could not. [Page 27] nor you all shall ever be able to annswere whilst the world endureth.

How knowe you of faith, that he or they from who­me you received your begininges were the first? This can you never prove to anie mans conscience that hath anie conscience, except you can shewe Prophecie of scripture perticulerly that such a man should first raise up (to speake your owne vvord) the ordināces of Christ, and that he hath done it, and that you haue it from him: All these must you prove by scripture, if your rule be true, and that men must have faith in it: but not anie one of these can you prove by scripture, [...]nd therefore your rule is not true, and no mā can have faith in it and then not to be hold and practiced by anie that wait for salvation by Iesus Christ, vvho must have faith in all that they hold, professe, & practice, or els they sinne: ffor vvithout faith it is vnpossible to please God. Rom. 11.6. Let us by the mercies of God intreat all you that professe the name of Iesus, not to stand vpon such vncertaine and vnfound groundes: For wch vvay shall you ever be able to prove, that he or they from vvhome you (by Succession) have your begining vvere the first? No man can ever prove it, the vvorld is too vvide for man to comprehend or knowe all that is done in it. It is avaine invention, cast it away, seeing there is no vvarrant in Gods vvord to vvarrant it vnto you, that he or they vvere the first.

And if he, or they vvere, vvhat then? Must all the vvorld come to them? By vvhat rule of Gods word? There must be a speciall commaund for him, or them to beginne: And a restraint or forbiddinge comaund to all men for doeing the ltie after: ffor God is as mercifull to his people now as ever he vvas, and he hath not left them without rule of direction, that they should sinne [Page 28] and fall was the lord so carefull for his people Israell (for whome he had wrought so great wonders, and yet they were continually rebellious against him) as to give Moses twice warning at one time Ex. 19.21. and 21. Goe downe charge the people that they breake not to the lord to gaze, least manie of them perish And againe lett not the Preists, and the people breake to come vpto the lord least they be destroyed. And did the lord most carefully appoint Aaron and his sonnes, their severall Offices and services about the Tabernacle as is shewed Numb. 4. where the lord chargeth Moses and Aaron that they should not cutt of the Tribe of the famili [...] of the Kohathites: But this do vnto them, saith the lord that they may live and not dye, let Aaron & his sonnes come and appoint them every one to his charge, least they touch or see those holy thinges, they ought not to touch and see, and dye, was the lord out of his great grace, mercie, and love so carefull for his people then, to give such strait rules of direction to them, least they should come neare, handle, or see those thinges which apperteyned not to them to handle or see and so sinne, and dye. And hath the lord left to beg [...] now, in leaveing his people no directions, nor directors to ap­point them to their [...]ffice, and shewe them what i [...] comaunded and what is for bidden▪ Surely you will not say, but the lord is as mercifull to rebellious Israell as ever he was, then wee require you to shew, where the lord hath now comaunded some especially to be­ginne and meddle with the holy thinges, and for bid­den all others except by their appointment they be permittd & appointed therevnto. If you will thus sett vp a speciall Temple and Preist hood of your owne, shewe your warrant from the word of truth which seeing possiblie you cannot do, let God have the glorie, and see your owne shame, and humble your selves, & [Page 29] repent of this error. VVill you now with patience suf­fer vs a little to declare and try your best ground f [...]r these thinges, wich wee have received from some that are greatest amongst you wee could repeat divers of your arguments and reasons, but wee spare you, & wee will take your strongest ground, which if wee can by the ground of truth shewe to be most vnsound, wee will hope that they amongst you, that seeke the lord in singlenes of hart will forsake it: first knowe this and let all knowe that you have never bene able at anie time, to produce anie one scripture and mainteyne it, for your Succession, although wee have had divers confe­rences with the cheifest amongst you but you reason by simelies and proportions of your owne devisings for the most part.

To come to your ground, this is the some of that you saie. That baptisme being once raised vp by one vn­baptized, after, none did, neither was it lawfull for anie vnbaptized to baptize, but all must have it from him, & so you follow on with your proportion from bap­tisme, to the church and ministry. And this is the waie you runne, not knowing whether it leads jou, wee praie you marke what the wiseman saith. Pro. 4.19. The wa [...]e of the vngodlie is as the darknes, they knowe not vvher­in they shall fall: even so little do you knovve into vvhat pitt you shall fall, or vpon what rock you do cast your selves & others in this your way first where­as you say, that when baptisme was once (by one vn­baptized raised vpon [...], none after being vnbap­tized did or might. This John never taught you, nor [...] of Th [...]appostles, where els you have learned it wee know not, but you [...] in it, and say it is the course & order of the scriptures. But wee require you with godly consideration to consider that heerein vn­der a [...] of binding to the due [...] course of [Page 30] the matter & manner of the scriptures (which all oug [...] to follow) you bring men to a due perticuler course [...] persōs, vvhich none are bound to follow except anie da [...]ie say of themselves, as that excellent & vvorthy Appostle Paul. said. Phil. 2.17. Brethren, be followers of me In short see, if you would not be blynd, vvhether you rule leades you, if you wil tye the vvord & ordinance of God vnto men: Prist for baptisme, you must bring▪ man prophecied of, as Iohn vvas, that shalle able, t [...] annsvvere as Iohn did to them that asked him, vvha [...] art thou that vvee may giue aunswere to them tha [...] sent us, vvhat saiest thou of thy self? vvhy baptize [...] thou? Iohn aunsweres. I am hee that the Prophet Esaia [...] prophecied of &c. I am the voice of him that crieth i [...] the vvildernes, make straight the vvay of the lord Thus doth Io: prove his office & ministration to be law­full, and therefore might Ierusalem & all Iudea of faith come faith to him to be baptized: And this man vvas sent in the power of the spirit of Elias. Therefore vvhat­soever he did in his ministry vvas true and vvarrantable so that men might safely joyne themselves to his bap­tisme: Neither could men learne baptisme & the ma­ner thereof but of Iohn, & of them that received it from him, vvil you now in the behalf of your first be­ginner, aunswere us that aske vvho art thou that bapti­zest? And saiest all men must have their baptisme from thee, VVhat saiest thou of thy self? VVhere is thy vvar­rant? VVil you aunswere vs as you have done, that Io: his example is your vvarrant? VVee vvil aunswere you (as vvee have often done) wee also do the like by the same example. And wee say farther, that Iohns example, and al the examples & rules in the scriptures to be followed are generall, and there is no one per­ticuler example or rule in all the new Testament, wch is onely to be ymmitated & observed, by anie one man, anie two.

Tenn twenty or a hundreth: but what soeuer example in the scriptures, anie one Man may followe, and what soever rule or commaundmēt anie one man may observe & kepe, even so another man may followe the same ex­ample & keepe the same comādmēt, & so of two men ten, twenty, or an hundreth. And the like may be said of time, & place: for there is no example or rule in the new Testament, that is onely proper or appirteyning to anie one person, or persons time, or times, place or places for the new testament is the Covenant of Gra­ce which Christ hath purchased with his blood, and there is no part of it can be abolished till he come to iudgment: But if anie part of it, anie example, or rule in it be tyed to anie particuler person or persons, time, or times, place or places these al may be abolished before Christes coming, and therefore no part of the new testament, can be particulerly tyed to anie one of them.

To shewe for example the question in hand. If Iohns example of Baptizing, being vnbaptized (or rather not being of anie other first baptized) If his example be a particuler exāple for one man onely (as you say) thē ¹ [Page 32] was it abolished when your predecessor had once be­gun to Baptize, and so is that example now of no vse, and it may be for anje thinge you knowe or ever can knowe that he was not the first, and then if your rule be true how wretched is your case, that challeng apre­regative, that by your owne rule apperteynes not vn­to you, and your best advantage is, that you can but jmagine that you are the first and you would have vs jmaigine so with you.

VVell, wee beseech you consider throughly this one point especially. That the new testament, nor anie part of it neither rule nor example, doth perticulerly apper­teyne to anie one person, or serve onely for anie one person, or serve onely for aine one time, or place, wch if you deny, you abolish [...], and the Testament purchased with his blood, and makes it a carnall cove­nant, for no spirituall covenant can eve [...] be abolished. And if you confence that the new Testament, and all the rules & examples therein, are generall to all: Then may all men, in all places, whome the lord by his word and spirit shall stirr vp, and indue with gifts and gra­ce preach the go [...] and men being converted, bap­tize them, & so is your Succession fallen to the groūd. And therein have you no [...], if you love the lord, & his holy truth, for thereby shall the holy ordinances of Christ be sett at [...], which you have kept in bond [...], to the great [...] of God, and to the [...] divers soules whose blood wilbe re­quired [...] your hands (though they be perished in their owne sinnes) if you repent not.

Moreover as wee have shewed before. Iohn came in the power and spirit of Elias, therefore what soever he did [...] office and ministrie was warrantable and according to truth, and he could not [...] therein. This no man that knovves anie truth vvill denie, and vvee [Page 33] speake to men of vnderstanding. And came your first be­ginner in the power of the spirit in this measure▪ and was all warantable and according to the truth that he did in his ministery? will anie affirme that all was warrantable that he did? or can anie affirme it? and that he could not err-God forbid that anie fearing God should be so foo­lish: nay was he not a man coming furth in some smale measure of the deepe mist of the mistery of iniquitie, being then in much error and ignorance yea even in that administration of baptisme orels you haue bene vnprofi­table disciples of his. And would you tye all the world from the East to the west to come fetch the holy ordi­nances of Christ from him, & you, his successors, through all your errors ignorances, and grevious corruptions, where of wee knowe so manie, and have cause to be jea­lous of you for maine moe. VVhat truth, pietie, or god­lines is there in this? that you should seeke to make men either presently swallowe vp all your errors ignorantly, to be washed of you with water, or els stay vntill they have learned them, otherwise they must not be baptized at all. And further that men must be forced to learne your language, and so vntill the poore disciples of Christ that would followe him, (English men or aine other nation) can speake dutch, they are debarred from the holy ordinances of God the meanes of their salvation by this your rule, a fearefull mistery of iniquitie.

Hereby you have wrought such wickednes amongst vs, and brought such desolation vpon vs the poore peo­ple of God, as wee have cause to wish that in our heades were floodes of water, and our eies were fontaines of teares, that wee might power out a complainte against you, for this your abhomination, wich you have set vp, whereby you have wrought such destruction and ruine in the Church of God, seeking to pull it downe, to build vp your selves. Hereby have you glorified your Church, & sett hir vp to sitt as a Queene, takeing vnto your selves [Page 34] all power & authoritie, yea even to shutt the gates of the holie Cittie, the heavenly Ierusalem, saieing that none may enter but by your authoritie. Oh that you could see your great sinne herein, & the lamentable evill that you have wrought. First against God in destroying his Temple, which is built truely (though exceeding weakely) vpon the foundation the word of God. And you have caused the enimies of God to blaspheme, & to make a mock at the profession of Iesus Christ. And you have caused them that were more indifferently mynded, to doble their doubtings, and rather stepp backward, then come for­ward. Thus have you sinned with an high hand against the God of heaven, who is able and will fill you the duble for this your iniquitie, if you repent not. And for vs you have brought much sorrow, greife & vexation of soule & spirit vpon vs. The Lord doth knowe wee speake truely and great hath bene our cause of greife to see the Church of Christ, which is his body, whereof wee are (though vn­worthie members) thus rent and torne in pecces, and our profession and wee made a scorne of men, who have wis­hed and wayted for our overthrow, and have taken vpon them to foretell, of these evills that have come vpon vs, which being come to passe according to their foretelling, they have triumphed against vs & blessed themselves, as though their foresa [...]eings must needs come to passe. Thus have our enimies reioyced at our miseries, but the Lord hath wounded them vpon their right eie, and made them a reioyceing to their enimies.

VVere this all our woe, it were at full, enough, but you have by this your great sinne brought a further evill vpon vs, then to make our enimies reioyce over vs, saying there, there, so would wee have it, for you have made our frends our enimies, yea our familier frends, with whome wee tooke sweet counsell, & went together to the house of God. And such is the enmitie betwixt vs and them [Page 35] (whereof you have bene cheife instruments) as it can neuer have end, whilst anie of vs live, for it is that en­mitie, which the Lord put betwene the seed or the wo­man, and the seed of the serpent, which can have no end in them except wee fall into the same destructi­on, for there is no p [...]ace to repentance to be found for their trangression. For they were once enlightned, and had trusted of the heavenly gift, and were made part [...]s of the holy ghost. And had tastied of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come: and are fallen away: it is impossible they should be renewed againe by repentance: seeing they crucifie againe to themselves the sonne of God and make a mock of him Heb. 6.4.5.6. Now to shewe how they were once enlightned. First Mr. Iohn Smy [...]h [...] vpon whose head the blood of all this people shalbe) hath by his profession in all his pra­ctice, and by word, and in his sundrie writings, with such force of argument, and strength of pro­testation with ground of truth, (as his writings shewe) manifested himself to be enlightned with this truth of God.

That wheresoever two, or three, are gathered to gether into Christs name, there Christ hath promis­sed to be in the midst of them Mat. 18.20. and there­fore they are the people of god and Church of Christ, haveing right to Christ, and all his ordinances, and need not seeke to men to be admitted to the holie thin­ges, but may freely walke together in the waies of god, and enioy all the holie thinges. From this truth of god wherewith he was enlightned is he fal­len, denying the words of our Saviour Christ. That saith wheresoever two or three are gathered togi­ther &c. And holdeth that the first two or three that are gathered togither have onely right to Christ, [Page 36] and all his ordinances, and that after, all men must come to them, restraning the wordes of Christ wch are generall so anie two or three, onely to the first two or three, and so hath sett vp a Successiō against the wch he hath former­ly by all wordes, writinges, & practice sett himself with all detestation. And this man like Balaam hath consulted with you, and hath putt a stumbling blocke before the people of God, who were also enlightned, and so are ma­nie as you knowe fallen with him to the same sinne, and vnder the same condemnation. And M. Iarvase Nevile haveing witnssed not onely this but divers other truths for the which he hath bene long imprisoned and con­demned to perpetuall imprisoment yea expecting death for the ame, yet notwithstanding all his former fidelity and constancie whereby his bondes were fa­mous through the whole land, falling with M. Smyth vpon this your blind Succession (forsakeing the rock whereon he stood) is now returned beyond his vomytt, exclayming against your Succession, and strives to build vp the Succession o [...] Rome, which he hath formerly, with all zeale and holines pulled downe, & so is become a hissinge of men, and a reproach vnto all the godly, and is made a scorne of the wicked a iust reward for all that fall away.

More over this wicked man Mr. Smyth hath professed and maintened with all manifestation of faith and con­fidence that Christ tooke his flesh of Mary, affirming that all the world was not able to aunswere that place to the Hebr. 2.14. where it is said: forasmuch, as the chil­deren are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise tooke part with them, as also that place Gen. 3.15. The seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head, but now he is fallen from this, following a device of some of you. He cannot find in all the scriptures where Christ had the first matter of his flesh: but the second matter which is his nourishment, that he had of Mary, [Page 37] saieing further that if he had the strength of many men, he would labor to cast the contrary out of the Church for being ā article of faith, & he hath taught that Christes myracles, sufferinges, and death, yea his hanging vpon the crosse were all typicall and Carnall, Comparing Christ flesh to his garments, and therefore not to be striven about. So like wise is he fallen from the faith of justification by Christs righteousnes onely, to inherent righteousnes in himself, so wi [...]l he be justified partly by his owne righteousnes, either not standing need of all Christs righteousnes, orels not holding his righteousnes sufficient for him. And he is also fallen from the faith in the point of Magistracie, professing he knew not that he differed from you in anie thinge.

Further more this wicked man Mr. Smyth hath pro­fessed and taught, and his confederates had learned. That God is a spirit, and that he wilbe worshipped wholly in spirit and truth. And he and they knewe that the Ap­postle 1. Cor. 14.14.15.16. saith. If I pray in a strainge tōgue my spirit praieth, but myne vnderstanding is with­out fruit. I will pray therefore with the spirit, but I will pray with the vnderstanding also. I will singe with the spirit, but I will singe with the vnderstanding also. Els how shall they that vnderstand not, say Amen. and vers. 11. Except I knowe the power of the voice, I shalbe vnto him that speaketh a Barbarian. This man not with stan­ding, when he had himself but a little vnderstanding of your language, and the rest of his confedracie, when some of them had not anie vnderstanding to be spoken of, and divers none at all, neither yet have: have, and do come to worshipp with you, being barbarians vnto you and say Amen (els what do they there) not knowing whether you blesse or curse.

The ignorant Papists shall stand vp in judgment against these men, yea the Idolatrous Heathens who have not knowne & heard the thinges that these men have knowne [Page 40] and hard. Of such men as this and they that are fal­len with him, speakes Th-appostle Iude. VVoe be vnto them: for they have followed the way of [...]ayne, and are cast away by the deceipt of [...] in the gaine saying of [...]ore. [...] your per­sons in admiration because of advantage, which you might all right well see, & [...]ee doubt not but some of you do see, for you knowe then vnderstanding in your language, and for what cause can you ymagine that they should [...]unne to gaze at you. Th-appostle 1. Cor. 14.19. saith. I had rather speake to the Church or congrega­tion, fyve words with myne vnderstanding that I might also instruct others, then Ten thousand words in a [...]a­ [...]nge tongue. And doth not The-appostle reach heere that it is better to heare fyve words in the Church or con­gregation with vnderstanding, then Ten-thousand words in a strai [...]g tongue? But these men, with a sort of ween on that are void of vnderstanding had rather heare in your Church or congregation fyve words without anie vn­derstanding, then Ten thousand with vnderstanding in a congregation or Church gathered together by the preaching of the gospell of Iesus Christ, and baptized into his name vpon the confession of their faith and sinnes.

This they knewe was our begininge: but your be­gining they knewe not neither can knowe, and if you had anie other begining it is not according to gods word: but that is all one to them, they have not regarded how you began in the faith, nor how you stand in the faith, which (if they had not forsaken all religion) they would have had regard of: but religion was not, nor is not theire marke that they aymed at▪ as you may easilie descerne by these their wilfull b [...]ind courses, where into you have ledd them by your blind Succession.

Now you, and betwixt you and vs, and let all the godly on ear [...]n consider, whether you have walked vprightly herein or no, and whether you have not sought your selves▪ and not the glorie of god, nor our building vp in the faith. And thus wee leave the Succession of your baptisme, putting you in remembrance that vvee have shewed you, that by this your opinion you make Iohn baptist his example a perticuler example for one man, for what man you cannot tell, but whose ever can first light of it he hath the pre heminence, and this you ymagine was your first beginner, which you shall never be able to prove except you can knowe all thinges that are done vnder the sunne, but all this in you is vanitie of vanities as wee trust manie of you will easilie see, and wee wish all may. And for this people who have [...]unne after your inventions, of whome wee would not once have made mention, but the better to bring you to the sight of the greatnes of your sinne, and to sett them out for an example that others might be warned thereby, which vvee desire that they may be, vvhen they shall heare of such a people, vvhose knovvled, gifts, and gra­ces vvere great, and vvho vvalked, & preferred to vvalke, strictly by the rules of Christ, & vnder his [...]k, and now are they Behall, walking by no rule of Christ, not being vnder his yock, haveing disclaymed themselves for haveing anie power to the ho [...]e thinges, and have gi­ven all to you, all their religion being onely to come and gaze at you, vvho speake to them in a st [...]aing tongue, vvhich is given for a signe n [...]t vnto them that beleeve but vnto them that beleeve not 1. Cor. 14.22. And in that they are thus left in confusion not knovveing nor careing vvhether to go, vvee have cru [...]e to magnifie the name of god in that he hath confounded them in their vvaies that vvould have confounded [...] vvay of truth: and vvee have cruse to blesse god that hath prevented you and kept you from makeing [Page] them to be one with you, whereby you had strengthned thē in their evill, & enlarged your owne sinne excedingly.

Let vs now proceed to the Succession of your Church and ministry, for wee cannot conceive which way you wilbe able ever to make anie shewe or cullor, that this vnbaptized man should have commission to do all thin­ges, if your rule of particuler proportion be good, there is no such course nor proportion in the scriptures. Iohn his example will not serve your turne, for Iohn planted no Churches. If you will have planters of Churches, and that all men must come to them, then must they needs be endued with like gifts as the first [...]lanters were, speake all languages as Th-appostles did, worke miracles, and not err in doctrine, for the Lords hand is not shortned, nor his grace and mercie lessned to his Church and people. But if he send men with the same office and aucthoritie, that he sent his Appostles, he will for the honor of his owne name, the advancement of his truth, and good of his people, give them the same gifts, and not bring his truth and people in bondage to men full of errors, igno­rances, and blindnes, as you and all men are: therefore be content to be biulders vpō the foundation layd, and for­bid not others to build thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth vpon it. 1. Cor. 3.10. This may suffi­ce for this point and so wee come to that, to the which the best approved amōgst you, have had no word of ann­swere hetherto, & wee knowe you cā say nothinge for it, holding your rule of Successiō according to your course and proportion except you wilbe so very vnadvised, as to hold proportion in one thinge, & no proportiō in another, and this that wee intend to speake of, is your ministry.

How come you to raise a ministry? where is your par­ticuler example, your rule is that Elders must make El­ders, and none but Elders must administer in the holie thinges. You raise baptisme after Iohns examples: but how will you do to ordeyne Elders? seeing you have [Page] no such exāple, & when you have done, what device will you have to keepe this auctoritie to your selves? This is your ground for your Succession, as all had baptisme from Iohn the first baptizer, so all must have baptisme from your first baptizer, As all Churches proceeded from the first Church at Ierusalem, so all Churches must pro­ceeded from Ierusalem your first Church. As Elders pro­ceeded by ordination from the first Elders, so all Elders must proceed by ordination from your first Elders; heere is your proportion. But how came your Elders by their ordination? did they ordeyne themselves? where is your example and proportion for that? Did the Church or­deyne them▪ then your proportion is gone, for the first El­ders were not so ordeyned. Thus are you overtaken in your ground not seeing whether it ledd you. Forsake it, it shalbe no disgrace for you to forsake error, you shall therein shewe the true grace of God to be in you, in de­nying your selves and your owne waies, and advancing the way of the Lord. Hold you to the perfect rule, that all gaynsaiers are not able to withstand, which was given by the law giver, and that is. VVhere two, or three are gathered together into my name, there am I in the midst of them and whatsoever they bind on earth, shalbe bound in heaven: and what soever they loose on earth, shalbe loosed in heaven. Mat. 18.20.18. And 1. Cor. 3.16.21.22. Knowe you not that yee are the Temple of god. Lett no mā reioyce in men, for all thinges are yours and 2. Cor. 6.15.16.17.18. what Cōcord hath Christ with Be [...]all; or what part hath the beleever with the infidell: and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols: wherefore come out from amongst them and se­perate yourselves saith the Lord, & touch none vncleane thinge, & I will receive you, & I wilbe a father vnto you, and you shalbe my sonnes, and daughters saith the Lord almightie. These three places of scripture proves thus much. First, that wheresoever two, or three are gathered [Page 44] together in Christs name, Christ is in the midst of them, and they have power to bind and loose, which is to re­ceive in & cast out, to appoint Officers and to discharge, and to administer in all the holy thinges, for haveing Christ they have wi [...]h him all thinges also Rom. 8.32. Christs power cannot be devided from him, therefore where he is, his power must needs be, & he is a kinge, & where he is, he gives power to his servants to serve him in all his ordinances.

The second place alleged confirmes this, where it is said. Let no man reioyce in men, for all thinges are yours, and in the 5. vers. of this. 1. Co [...]. 3. saith The Appostle, who is Paul? and who is Appollos? but the ministers by whome ye beleeved, sheweing that the Cornithians were not the Temple of God, neither had interest vnto all thinges, because of their persons, but because they beleeved their doctrine. And wheresoever a compaine of men now, shall beleeve their doctrine, even they are the Temple of god, and all thinges are theirs, aswell as all thinges were the Corinthians.

The third place [...]ore alleged, proves, who they are that Christ hath promissed to be in the midst of, & that is, those that seperate themselves from Behall (which are men without a yock) from vnbeleevers, from Idolls, and which touch no vncleane thinge, these are they that God will receive, and amonge whome he will dwell & walke and he wilbe their God and father, & they shalbe his people & children, & they shall not need to respect the persons of men as hath bene shewed, for by the free gift of Gods grace, & through their faith in Christ, all thinges are thens. Will anie men not withstanding all this say, that anie people or congregation seperated from all vncleannes, may not enioy Christ and all the holy or­dinances without they be admitted there vnto by other [Page 45] [...]en? Did Th-appostle Paule disclayme both for himself, and Cephas, & Appollos from all previlige vnto their persons, & teach the corinthians that their persons gave not them interest vnto the holie things but their do­ctrine through their owne faith; and dare anie chal­lenge previlege vnto their persons, & so take away the the aucthoritie of Th-appostles doctrine & ministerie, that is still in as good force & aucthoritie as ever, in the scriptures. And by whose ministerie & doctrine what people soever beleeves at this day, all thinges are the­rin, by faith in the scriptures not by Succession from men.

Heere wee desire that all men that have anie vprightnes of [...]art, would enter into a due considera­tion of the depth of [...] error of Succession, from, or by the persons of men. And through gods assistance wee will endeavour to speake what wee are able for the dis­coverie of this error, which is so great & dangerous, of the sharpe bitter fruites whereof, wee have deepely tai­sted, & our vvounds are yet fresh & greene: but not vvithstanding by the grace of God, vvee vvill not be provoked to speake beyond the bounds of sobriet [...]e he­rein: and to proceed herein by the most easie, plaine, and evident vvay to our best vnderstandings.

VVee intreat you, and all men vvith all holy advised­nes to consider, vvhat vvas the seperation vvall, betvvixt the Ievve & the gentill, & Th-appostle Rom. 3.1.2. de­clares plainely what is vvas in these vvords. The pre­ferment of the Ievve & the profitt of circumcision is much everie manner of vvay, for cheiflie because vnto them were of creditt cōmitted the oracles of god, this was the divisiō vvall, vvhich the Lord had set vp betvvixt the Iewe & the gentill in that he gave his statutes & or­dināces to Israell to keep [...], not debarring the gētills at all frō ēioying the benefitt of his statutes & ordināces as the lord sheweth Exo. 12.49. One lavv shalbe to him that is [Page 44] borne in the land, and to the strainger that dwelleth a­mongst you. This then was the preferment and the devi­sion wall, that the Iewes kept the oracles, and the Gen­tills must have them at their hands: for if the gentills had themselves possessed the land of Canaan. And the holie Citie, and the Temple; and all the holie thinges they had bene all polluted in their hands; but when the Iewes had the possession of all the holy thinges, and communicated them vnto the gētills they were holy to them. Thus could the gentills have no benifitt of the holy thinges, except they came to the Iewes and receyved them from them, and so enioyed them vnder them. This then is so plaine as anie thinge can be, that the partition wall betwixt the Iewe and the gentill, was in respect of the previlige that belonged to the person of the Iewe, in that, to the person of the Iewes, the oracles were committed to be kept, for as wee have shewed there was the same law of ordinances for the gentill as for the Iewe, but the gentill must receive them from the Iewes, and they must come vp to Ierusalem to worship with the jewes Act 8.27. and joh. 4.20. This stopp of the partition wall hath Christ broken downe. That he might reconcile both vnto God in one body, by his crosse and slay hatred thereby, & ma­keing peace Eph. 2.16.15. Thus hath the Lord of himself made peace both with jewe & gētill, now not preferring anie one people above another in giveing his oracles to thē to keepe, but hath made his convenant with all, both jewe, & gētill, they that are a farr of, & they that are neare Act. 2.39. Eph. 2.17. To everie mā that doth good shalbe glorie and honor and peace, to the jew first, and also to the grecian. For there is no respect of persons with god Rom. 2.10.11. There are now by gods appointment no more straingers and forreyners, but through Christ, all both jew and gentile, have an entrance vnto the father by one spirit Ephes. 2.19.18. not standing in need of admit­tance by men. And what people soever, either jew, or [Page 45] gentile, are biult vpon the foundation of Th-appostles and Prophetts Iesus Christ himself being the ch [...]te cor­ner stone, in whome all the building cuppled together, groweth vnto an holie Temple in the Lord, they are built together to be the habitation of god by the spiri [...] Ephes. 2.20.21.22. And therefore no people are bound to seeke to men to be built a habitatiō of god: But the doctrine of Th-appostles by the worke of the spirit is sufficient. All this proves the partition wall is broken downe, which is, that the oracles are not now commited to anie people of creditt to keepe that all should be forced to come to them as the gentills were of necessitie constrayned to come to the jewes, Christ hath slayne that hatred saith Th-appostle, and hath reconciled the gentills to god, and so god is equally favourable to them both, that is to all men (for all were either jewes or gentils) God doth not favour anie one in respect of committing his orracles to be kept, they are now left free to all that come, accor­ding to that prophecie of scripture Psai. 55.1. Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and ye that have no silver come buy and eate. Come I say buy wine and mylke without silver and without monie.

This then being confessed of al (that have anie know­ledg in the religion of God) that the seperation wall is broken downe, and being rightly vnderstood also that the seperation wall was a personall previlige vnto the pecu­liar nation of the jewes by genealogie, which was to keepe the oracles of God by Succession amongst them selves, from generation to generatiō, and the gentiles that were without could not be admitted to the holy thin­ges but by them, this being the c [...]vision vvall, and this being broken dovvne, and the gentiles let in, & the doore sett open for all, & freedome & libertie proclaymed. That by the blood of jesus christ vvee may be bold to enter into the holy place, by the nevv and liveing vvay, [Page] which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile, that is his flesh Heb. 10.1 [...].20. Hereby all Succession is abo­lished, all previlige and pr [...]l [...]ment to perticuler persons in keeping the holy oracles is taken away, and they are free for all men, (that beleeve to [...], for wee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus, There is neither Iewe, nor Grecian: there is neither bond, nor free [...]e is neither male nor feemale: or we are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26.8. Now they then that will set vp Succession, and [...] have all the orac [...]es of God committed to them, and that all [...] re­ceive the ordinances of Christ from them they herein build vp the per [...] wall againe they challenge to them­selves the prefermēt of the Iewe they stopp the entrance into the holie place by the new and liveing way, which Christ hath made by his blood: they deny that any people built vpō the foundatiō of Th [...]appostles & Prophetts by the spirit, can be the [...]on of God they will not per­mitt mē to be the sonnes of god by faith: all these thinges are nothinge available without mē come to thē, & be admitted by them: & men cannot have Christ except they have thē, nor be joyned to christ, except they be ioyned to them: nor putt on christ except they putt on thē. Lett all the godly but equally iudg betwixt you and vs, whether this be not to sett vp the [...] wall againe, W [...]h is to give a speciall previlege [...]d prefermēt to the people more then another and that none may enioy the holy thinges but from their persons, which wee de [...]e may yet better be observed, & well vnderstood, that you, or what people soever manteyne Succession o [...] will have a previlege or preferment, in the possession of the holie things it doth apperteyne & is tyed to your persons & the power and auctoritie you challenge it is in your persons, for it is not in your gifts ād doctrine for set [...] by your persones & tye vs not to them, and then wee will preferr the gifts & do­ctrine of Th-appostles before yours, and wee wilbe dire­cted [Page 45] by thē. And the aucthoritie and preferment you challēge is not in your office, for sett by your persons and per­sonall presence, and send precepts & rules, by the auctho­ritie of your Office and wee, and all that [...]eare god will cast away your aucthoritie and office and the aucthoritie and office of all others heerein, with the precepts and ru­les made by the power thereof, and wee will onely sub­mitt our selves to the office and aucthoritie of Th-appo­stles, and to the precepts and rules, which they have sett downe by the power of their office, wch power ād office they received frō god, not from men, nor by man gal. [...]. 1. Thus may you and all men see, that what people chu [...]ch, or congregation soever do challenge vnto thē selves anie previlige or prefermēt in keeping the holy thinges, & that they onely are to dispose of the to others, such previlige, ād prefermēt must needs be proper to their persōs onely and frō all such previlige to their persōs, as wee have before shewed Paul, and [...]phas, and Appollos disclaymes, although they were the ministers by whome the corin­thians beleeved. And will you, or anie people or church challēge privilege and prefermēt to your persons over al men, although by your ministrie they beleeve not: and all your warrant for this is because you say, you are the first.

If you wil yet stād for privilege by your beeing fi [...] as you Ymagine) heare what our saviour christ saith vnto you for your instruction Mat. 2 [...].1.14. [...]rend I do thee no wronge, take that which is thyne owne, and go thy way. I will give [...] much as vnto thee: these men thought because they came first into the veinya [...]d they should have had more wage them they that came last, although there wages were agreed vpon, so you thinke you are worthie of more aucthoritie, them the last because you suppose you were the first: but our Sa­viour christ teacheth you in th [...] place that the honor & reward in all one to the last, as to the first. And take heed, least by this your sinne, if you had no other) the lord passe [Page 48] this sentence against you, and say vnto you. The first shalbe last.

To dravve to an end in this point, that the gospell is come vnto all the vvorld alike coll. 1.6. to god is no ac­cepter of persons: And therefore all the world ought to receive it, beleeve it, & obey it a like: & so doeing, all have free libertie to enioy and administer in all the holy ordinances a like: for of vvhomesoever the Lord requires obedience of all his ordinances, they obeying, he giveth to them the privilege & benifitt of all his ordinances. Then vvhat soever people receives, beleeves, & obeyes the gospell, as truely as another people do, they have as much privilege & libertie to einoy the gospel & all the ordinances thereof as anie other people: For god is no accepter of persons, but in every Nation, he that feareth him & vvorketh righteousnes is accepted vvith him Act. 10.34.35. And if anie shall novv feare god, & fast & pray as Cornelius did, their praiers & almes shall come vp in remembrance before god & the spirit of god shall di­rect them to heare vvhat Peter saith, & to be directed by Peter, & the rest of Th [...]appostles, & not bid them send for you, or go to you, or anie people to make them perfect, for the word of God is all sufficient to teath them & instruct them & make them perfect to everie good vvorke, as is shevved. 2. tim. 3.16.17. The vvhole scriptures as given by inspiration of god, & is profitable to teath to convine, to correct, & to instruct in righteous­nes, that the man of god may be absolute, being made perfect vnto all good workes. Heere may you & all learne & vnderstand, that the vvord of god is all sufficient of it self, to make the people of god absolute & perfect vnto every good worke, to pray, to preach, to Baptize, to breake bread, to administer in all the holy thinges & to vvalke in all the vvaies of god, vvithout the helpe of of anie man or men. And if anie should be so vnvvise, as thinke that the meaning of the holy ghost heere is onely [Page 49] to make a man perfect vnto everie good worke in him­self, it were great weaknes, seeing that the holy ghost testifieth, That the mainfestation of the spirit is ge­ven to every man to profit withall. 1. Cor, 12.7. & 1. Pet. 4.10. Lett everie man as he hath received the gift Minister the same to another, as good disposers of the manifold graces of god. To make this plaine that he that runnes may read it & vnderstād it that Christ and al things are geven to every faithfull people, although they be but two or three according to Christes owne wordes Mat. 18.20. Christ is there king Luk. 1.33. he is there Mediator Heb. 9.15. by whose blood they may be bould to enter into the holy place. He is their high Priest, who with one offering hath consecrated for ever thē that are sanctified Heb. 10.21.14. And made them kings, And Preists vnto God Reuel. 1.6. They are come vnto Mount Syon. And to the citie of the liveing God the celestiall Ierusalem Heb. 12.22. whose gates are not shutt by day, and there is no night there Reuel. 21.25. wee conclude therefore with those hea­venly wordes of comfort spoken by the holy ghost, vn­to everie faithfull man, and men though but two or three. Reuel. 22.17. Both the spirit & the Bride say co­me. And let him that heareth, say, come, and let him that is a thirst, come, and let who soever will, take of the water of life freely.

VVe [...] with your selves now, and let all mē consider, whether this be not al sufficiēt. Heere is the King: & the Mediator: and the high Priest: and the citie Ierusalem with hir gates open: and the spirit of God bidding all come freely: and all the faithfull made kings, & Preis­tes vnto God, what should let the faithfull for entring in, & offering Sacrifices, & administring in all the holy thinges before the lord, seeing they onely are appoin­ted there vnto of God. 1. Pet. 2.5. & 4.10.

If the jewes cominge out of captivitie, had had Salo­mon [Page 50] their kinge, Moses their mediator, Aaron their high Priest, Ierusalem their citie with hir gates open & their god bidding thē come, who should have for bid­den thē for bringing their sacrifices and administring before the lord freely. If Pharoh should hinder thē all the plagues of Egipt should fall vpō him. And though Tobiah should despise thē, & Sāballett cōspire against them, yet they praying to their god their enimi­es shame should be turned vpon their owne heads, and the lord should bring their counsells to nought Nehe. 4. And God hath promissed to do no lesse for his people now against his and their enimie the mistery of ini­quitie, the man of sinne for he will consume him with the spirit of his mouth, & abolish him with the bright­nes of his coming 2. Thes. 2.8. And he will smyte the earth with the [...]od of his mouth and with the breath of his lipps shall he slay the wicked Esa. 11.4.

Now therefore take you heed, and let al people ta­ke ficed, how they go about to hinder the people of god that have freedome and libertie to administer be­fore him, being a holy Preisthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 2.5. take heed wee say how you go about to hinder them, by setting vp your owne inventions and abho­minations, and bring swist iudgment vpon your sel­ves. And so wee leave this point praying you not lightly to passe by it though wee have handled it weak­ly But let all that disire vnfainedly in the truth of their soules to see the profession of Iesus Christ florrish in puritie and sincerity, and in the light of all truth, sett their owne harts and teach others to seeke Christ in his word: And to followe him in all worshipp and service according to the examples, rules & precepts in the Striptures, which are written for vs to that end. For, what soever [...]inges are writtē aforetime are writ­ten for our lea [...]ing Rom. 15.1.

Lett all men therefore that in vprightnes disires to walke in the waies of god according to true direction, seeke to be taught of god by the Scriptures, and not to be ledd by the examples and precepts of men: For if a people though but two, or three, by reading and hearing the Scriptures, by the worke of the spirit, co­me to the faith of the gospel, must be cōpelled to joyne to anie, or some people that formerly professe Christ, then must they be forced, to professe as they professe, and walke in their stepps with them: and so to be brought in subiection to all their errors, and to be pol­luted by joyning with them in all their corruptions and so they cannot nor must not be ledd on for ward towards perfection as they ought to be Heb. 6.1. But they must be ledd forward or go backward, or out of the way, or stand still, as that people to whome they joyne will lead them. This destroyes all pure pro­fession of the gospell, and keepes men backe from wal­king in the cleare light thereof: ffor if two or three shall in the honestie of their harts disire to walke ho­li [...]e with the lord, and keepe themselves vnspotted of error, this wofull rule of Succession debarrs them that they may not so do, and constraines them to joyne to some people, denying them libertie to walke after the rules and examples in the Scriptures and so to followe Christ, and binds them to followe Christ with them, as they followe Christ. Hence it cometh that the Po­pe saith, loe heere is Christ, and seekes to force all to followe Christ with him. And the Bishopps they say loe heere is Christ and they seeke to compell all to fol­lowe Christ with them. The Presbitarie they say, loe heree is Christ, and they will constraine all to followe Christ with them, wee passe by the most vngodly & vnwise Familists and scattered flock, that say he is in the desert, that is no where to be found in the pro­fessiō of the gospell according to the ordināces thereof [Page 52] vntill their extraordinarie men (they dreame of) come▪ which shall not be, vntil there come a new Christ, & a new gospell. And you to whome wee especially write you say loe heere is Christ, & you would have all to followe Christ with you. Now in these troblesome dayes which our sauiour Christ hath foretold of, and are now come to passe wherein if it were possible the very elect should be deceaved, let all the godly stay them selves vpon that blessed counsel of our Saviour Christ who saith vnto al that will followe him, take yee heed, behold I have shewed you althinges before Mark. 13.23. which is by his word, and therefore thither onely must wee go, and followe no men. And wee pray al you (that would have men followe Christ with you) to remember how our Saviour Christ reproved his Disciples for their evill disposition therin, who when they sawe one casting out deviles in Christes name for­badd him because he followed not Christ with them. Iesus vtterly disaproving them, said, forbidd yee him not, he that is not against vs is with vs. Luk. 9.49.50 If thē our saviour Christ would not suffer these his Disci­ples, to challēge to thēselves this privilege, nor would not restraine that his Disciple, for professinge his name althoug he followed not with thē, why should anie challēg to thēselves, or why should the people of god think them selves bound to give vnto anie this prerogative.

Let all the people of God therefore every where knowe, that they have libertie to followe Christly them selves, which if Gods people would practice with feare & reverence, relying onely vpon the directi­on of gods word & spirit, it would make them [...] wary & carefull of their waies, least they should run into error, & so be iustly reproved of all, whift all mens eies are vpon them; whereas contrariwise, if of necessitie they be bound to go & joyne to another con­gregation, they walke securely, because that people [...] [Page 53] walking is their warrant and what soever they find a­mongst them must be received as approved & good. And this makes divers, who often receives manie good motions of the spirit to quench those provocations of the spirit, because they thinke they must needes ioyne to some people, and can see none that walke so vprightly & nolilie, with whome they may have comfort to joyne: & this is a cheife cause of all this evill, in that manie are blinded with this error that you, & all the fore named people do stand so stiffly vpon, that they must joyne to the Church. And so is this libertie hid­den from their eies (you all that teach that doctrine being instrumentes there of) that they may joyne thē selves to gether in the covenant of the new Testament, & so be the church & Temple of God them selves as well as you or anie people: and through the gracions blessing of god, which he hath promissed shalbe vpon them, they so doeing & walking in his waies, they may, & shall growe to be a most holy people, and a house for the most high god to dwel in, the word & spirit of god being fullie sufficient to build them vp, & they edifieing one another in their most holy faith, according to the rules of the holy ghost in the new Testament: And all this without the authoritie or ad­mittance of anie people professing before them, but all this you hide from their eies.

O that the children of god were as wise in their ge­neration in al thinges, & in this, as the Sonnes of men, then would they loose no part of that libertie where­with Christ hath made them free, then would every people called of god, runne of them selves, the rac [...] before them, and followe hard toward the marke, for the price of the high calling of god in Christ Iesus Phil. 3.14. Vnto the which till the called of god by the word of his spirit, raise vp their hartes to do, striveing withall zeale & holines to runne one before another [Page 54] in the profession of the truth, till these gracions affec­tions and holie endeavours possesse the harts and spi­rits of men, there can be no hope to see the glorious light of Gods truth in the profession thereof to flor­rish & growe: ffor whilst some Church or congrega­tion settled in the dreggs of error, and overtaken with a secure, cold, frozen profession of the gospel, and some other church or congregatiō carried away with a head-stronge blind zeale into manie errors, will have all men come and followe Christ, or rather go out of the way, or be frozen vp with them, and while men thinke they are to give them this preferment, what hope is there of the groth of pure Religion. VVe therefore earnestly beseech all people, by the mercies of god (in whome there is anie faithfull love of gods truth) not to respect anie men, neither to followe Christ, as you have them for an example: but followe Christ as you are taught is his word, and as you have the holy mens examples, whose holines is approved in the Scriptures. And thus in all love, wee exhort you to be thus mynded by the name of Iesus.

Although this that hath bene manifested from the Scriptures may give full satisfaction to every faithfull holie professor of the gospell (that Christ by his presen­ce giveth all power to every congregation, aswell as to anie one people or congregatiō, gathered together in­to his name, though they be but two, or three, whe­ther they be first gathered or last gathered: whether there be [...]lder, or no Elders amongst thē, it is with god all one) wet because amongst all (almost) that professe Christ, there is so much a doe about ordination, o [...] lay­ing on of hands, as though olders hands were onely sanctified to that vse, wee pray the godly reader to re­ceive full satisfaction from Act. 13.1.2.3. where it doth evidently appeare that the church or cōgregatiō at An­tiochia (where there were no Appostles nor elders) by [Page 55] the direction of the holy ghost, with fasting, & praying, & laying on of hands seperated Paull & Barnabas to the worke of their ministerie, wherevnto the holy ghost had called them. And Paul went not to Ierusalē to them that were Appostles before him, not so much as to consult with them Gal. 1.17. but after they were seperated by the church, being sent furth by the holy ghost they came downe to Seleucia. Act. 13.4. And frō this time did first begin to administer in the Office of their Appostle ship: in all this let it observed, that it is here set downe expresly in the scriptures; that they were called vnto their office of god & set furth of god, & that the church did onely ordeyne, or separate thē to that worke: and therefore this doth nothinge con­tradict Gala. 1.1. where it is said Paul an Appostle, not of men, neither by man: for he was called & sent of god. Thus is it proved that the church or congregatiō, hath power (with fasting & praier) to lay on hands, and so to separate & ordeyne mē chosen, to administer. And this is the ordinatiō set downe in the scriptures, which most men make so g [...]eat an Idoll of. And wee hope wee shall not need to prove perticulerly that the church or congregatiō hath power to Elect or chuse their officers seeing that is so plainely set downe Act. 14.23. & 6.3.5.

Of Magistracie.

THE fowrth matter that by the assistance of God wee purpose to speake to you of, is, to prove vnto you, and all that are cōtrarie mynded. That king, Prin­ces, and Magistrats, ruleing & governing by the power of god, with the sword of Ius [...], may be members of the church of Christ reteyning their Magistracie. For proofe hereof Thappostle Paul to the Rom. 13.1. [...]. first sheweth (speaking of the higher powers) That all powers are ordeyned of god. And who soever resisteth [Page 56] the power resistes the Ordinance of God. This then hereby is made most plaine, that the power & au­thoritie of Magistrates is the holy ordinance of God. They are further called. The ministers of god, and their administration is set downe. To take vengance of them that do evill, and to praise them that do well, And the instrument wherewith they are to punish evill doers, is the sword. And in all this they are the ministers of god for good & for the good of gods children especially. And therefore are they comaun­ded to pray for them 1. Tim. 2.12. Thus is their power (being of god) holie & good: and their office & admi­nistration holie, & good being (as is heere shewd by Th-appostle) appointed of god for good, who doth, nor can appoint nothinge but that which is holie & good, and pleasing to himself, for he is holines & goodnes it self, and he may not, nor cannot appoint anie thinge contrary to himself.

God then haveing ordeyned & appointed this holy ordinance with the end, and vse of it, and manner of administration, the magistrates applieing them selves for the same thinge, they obey the holy comandemēt and will of god, & are pleasing and acceptable to the lord in that their obedience: for by these wordes. Applying themselves there vnto. The holy ghost intends and shewes, that ther is required a diligent willing, faith­ful obedience in their administration, and not a forced constrained obedience, as the devills obey god, whose obedience is not acceptable and wel pleasing vnto him: further thē he is wel pleased in sheweing the power of his owne might, in that comaunding them they must obey him: for the de [...] do not willingly obey god in anie thing. They do not willingly knowe god as appeareth when they cried Mat. 8.29. Iesus the sonne of god, what have wee to do with thee: and although they bele [...]e there is one god, yet they do it not willingly, [Page 57] because they tremble Iam. 2.19. there faith increaseth their feare. All this wee speake to make it plaine to the simplest: ffirst, that there is an obedience which god comandes by the word and worke of his power onely, where in they that obey please not god: as whē he co­manded the vncleane spirits to come furth, and they obeyed him: And thus did Pharoh obey, when he let the people of Israell go to serve the lord, as Moses and Aaron had said Exo. 12.31. this was no willing obedi­ence and therefore not acceptable vnto god. Secondly there is an obedience, which god comandes by the word and worke of his grace, wherein, and whereby they that obey, please god, and are acceptable vnto him. This is the obedience that is better then Sacri­fice.

And this is the obedience that god requires of kin­ges, Princes, and Magistrates, even a diligent, willing, faithfull obedience, as is shewed frō these words: They are the ministers of god applieing them selves for the same thinge. And let vs with all grace and holines vnto god, and reverēce vnto this his holy ordināce, consider what it is that they are to applie thēselves vnto. It is to punish evil doers with the sword, and to reward or praise thē that do well: these wordes might cōvince you all of your error in this point, and they shall condemne you all, if you repent not, of your reaching and stiftly mainteyning, that these Ministers of god, retayning this their Office from god, may not be members of the Church of Christ. Hearken to their Office or mi­nistery yet againe. It is to punish evill doers, and to reward or praise them that do well, in which holy ad­ministration they are like vnto god, and in applieing them selves faithfullie therein they do the worke that is proper to god: for to execute justice vpon the wic­ked and shewe mercie vnto them that do well, is the divine propertie and worke of god, and so farr as the [Page 58] lord hath comitted auctoritie to Magistrats to admini­ster therein, they do the proper worke of god: and the­refore doth the holy ghost by the Prophett David, speaking of Magistrats say▪ Psal. 32.6. I have said yee are gods, speaking in respect of the great honor that is due vnto them, by their holie Office, where vnto he hath appointed them.

The some & scope of that which is heare sett downe in this point, is to shewe vnto you, that the Appostle doth he [...]e teach, that the Office & ministery of Ma­gistrats is an holy Office appointed of god, and that the lord requires of Magistrats a diligent willing, faith­full, obedience, which is pleasing vnto the lord: the which obedience they preforming vprightly, though weakely, and fayling in manie thinges, as Th-appostle confesseth, he & all the children of god did Iam. 3.2 yet beleeving the gospell of Iesus Christ, and repenting of their sinnes, how can it be denyed them to be admitted members of the bodie of Christ? Is this a good excep­tion, because they are Magistrats? why then you ex­cept against them because they are the holy ministers of god, and do his will in faithfull obedience. VVhat a doctrine of devills is this, that anie should be denyed to be members of the body of Christ, for executing an holie Office appointed of god. For further proofe, that it is an holy ordinance or office pleasing vnto god, it is shewed in that wee are comanded to obey of con­science; & that is onely in that which is holy & good; for god forbidd, that his children, should be tyed of conscience to obey in anie thinge, that is vnholy & not good. Th-appostle shewes heere, that the holy ghost intends no such thinge, when he saith vers. 3. Magistrats are not to be feared for good works, and 1. Pet 2.17. Feare god: honor the kinge, & therefore if Magistrats shall comaund anie thinge against god or Godlines, the people of god are not bound to obey, & for this cause [Page 59] Th-appostles when they were comaunded of the Ru­lers & Elders of Israell, that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus, answered, whe­ther it be right in the sight of God, to obey you, rather then god, judg yee. All this doth still give further proofe, that Magistracie is a holy ministery or Office appo­inted of god onely for good, and therefore none bea­ring that Office or ministery, is, for that cause to be de­barred frō being mēbers of the body of Christ which is his church, except men for executing an office co­maunded of Christ, should be debarred from Christ, which is more then madnes, for anie that professe Christ to affirme.

Furthermore: hath god by reason of that high po­wer & auctoritie which he hath given to Magistrats comaunded such feare such obediēce, & so great honor to be given vnto them of all men, and shall they whome god hath so greatly honored, with such auctoritie, dig­nitie & power, for, bearing this honor which god hath putt vpon thē, shall they for this be accounted vnwor­thy to be mēbers of Christes church? This is to bring the greatest dishonor, that possiblie cā be before god & his people, vpō that ordinance & the ministers thereof vpon which, and vpō whome, the lord hath putt most honor on: for it is a most miserable, wretched, & disho­norable ordināce, office, or calling, that debarrs mē frō being mēbers of Christes body. And let all knowe, that have anie vnderstāding in the misterie of godlines, that if Magistrats ought not to be mēbers of Christs church they cannot be childrē of the kingdome of Christ; and if they be not children of the kingdome, they cannot be heires of the promisse: for those that are worthy to be heires of saluation, must needs first be children of the kingdome, being begotten by the [...]mortall seed of the word and borne a new 1. Pet. 1.23. all such are worthy to be members of Christs Church. [Page 60] Therefore if you vnderstand your selves se this to be the end of your opinion. That if, you denying Magi­strates, and hold them vnworthy to be members of Christes Church, you much more deny them to be worthy of saluatiō: for if by reason of their Office they be vnworthie to be of the comuniō of the saintes vpon earth, they must nedes thereby much more be made vnworthy to be of the comunion of the Saintes in heavē. And thus do you by this your opinion hold and ma­inteyne, that god hath appointed an ordinance, and they that are his ministers therein (by his owne appo­intement) are by that their Office and ministery debar­red of saluation. Your sinne herein is no lesse then blasphemy against god, in that you charge the most ho­ly to have appointed an ordinance, the executing whe­reof debarrs men from saluation, wee hope you do it ignorantly, as also your leaders. Let not the antiquitie of this your error make it precious vnto you, but ra­ther vile: and sinne not by tradition after the doctri­nes of men: but be brought to try your waies by the word of god, and set his spirit be your teacher and lea­der into all truth, & be not led by men for all men are gone out of the way, and are full of ignorance & er­ror.

And to make it appeare how you are misledd in this be witched opinion. VVe wil come to some of your cheife holdes herein, whereof this is one Mat. 20.25.26. Luk. 22.24.25.26. & M [...]k. 10.5, 45. There arose a strife among Christes disciples which should be the greatest; And he said vnto them. The kinges of the gentiles reigne over them, and they that beare rule o­ver them are called gracious lords, but ye shall not be so: but let the greatest be as the least, and the cheif [...]st as him that serveth. From hence you gather that kings & Magistrates that beare rule in the world, may not be of the Church. To come (by the gr [...]tions di­rection [Page 61] of the spirit of god) vnto a due vnderstanding of this scripture: wee must first seeke to knowe, whe­rein the disciples of Christ did seeke to be greater one then another, and if they did strive for worldly pre­ferment, then may your ground prove partly true: but if they did not strive for preferment in the world or worldly preferment, then is there no cullor that your collected ground should be true: for our saviour Christ his speach is to put an end to their strife, & if they did not strive for worldly preferment or who should be greatest in the world, then our Saviour Christ spake not at all concerning worldly superiority & rule, al­though he brought an example from the world which is most vsuall in the scriptures. This controversie then wee hope may easilie take an end, if you be not vtterly given vp to your owne waies in all thinges: for if the ignorāt will not be ignorāt still, they may by the grace of god see heere most evidently the ground & cause of this strife amongst the disciples.

Zebedeus sonnes disired of our Saviour Christ, that they might sitt one at his right hand, and the other at his left in his kingdome not speaking of the world. Our Saviour first reproves them sharply and tells them they knowe not what they asked. And when he saw that this their disire of supirioritie wrought disdaine amongst them all, Iesus called them vnto him, and caught them to knowe. That although the kings & lords of the gētiles and they that were great amongst them, had domination & aucthoritie, and bare rule over them, in his kingdome it should not be so, He came not to sett vp and establish such a kingdome, wherein men should seeke to be greater one then another, and to beare rule one over another: and therefore taught his disciples another lesson, telling them that who soe­ver will seeke to be great, or be cheifest amongst them in his kingdome, shalbe the servant of all, that is the [Page 62] meanest of all, for that pride or arrogancie in seeking to be chiefe & beare rule in, the kingdome of Christ ma­kes such the least, because god reiecteth & will cast downe the prowd, but he will exalt the humble. Now as our Saviour Christ taught his disciples heere, by an example from Kings & Rulers and great men, that it should not be so amongst them in his kingdome: So also vpon the same occation of strife, & question who should be the greatest Mat. 18.1.4. & Mark. 9.34.36. & Luk. 9.46.48. Our Saviour Christ takes a little child & setteth it in the midest of them, and teacheth them by the example of a child to be humble and lowsy, and saith, except they be converted and become as little childre they shall not ēter into the kingdome of heavē. And who soever shall humble himself as a little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heaven.

From the first of these examples of Kings and Ru­lers & great men, because our Saviour Christ saith. It shall not be so amongst you, you shall not in my king­dome be like them, that is, Reigne, and rule, and be great one over another.

From this first example you conclude, that Kings, Rulers & great men, may not be of the kingdome of Christ. That you may the better see the error of this your collection and conclusion, wee will collect and conclude the like from the other example which our Saviour Christ brought of a little child.

He saith the Disciples of his kingdome must be like little children, humble, not seeking to be greater one then another: therefore little children may be of the kingdome of Christ, because our Saviour Christ saith they must be like them, wee knowe you can easilie discerne the errror of this collection and conclusion, and why can you not de [...]ne the error of the other [Page 63] wee pray you as you love god, and his truth, be not so partiall in your selves, wee wil yet endeavor to shewe you the equall like of these conclusions, that you may of conscience (denying the one) deny the other also.

Our Saviour Christ saith. The Kings and Rulers; and great men of the Gentiles reigne and rule over them, but it shal no be so amongst you the Disciples of my kingdome: therefore (say you) Kings and Ru­lers and great men may not be of the kingdome of Christ. In like manner may it be said (our Saviour Christ speaking vpon the same occation, little children are humble, and seeke not one to be greater then ano­ther, it shalbe so amonge you the Disciples of my kingdome: therefore may anie aswell say) little children may be of the kingdome of Christ. Seeing you are confident (and that according to truth) that this last is not a true collection and conclusion: so also of cons­cience, acknowled▪ that the first, which you make is not true: for as in the last both you and wee do vnder­stand, that Christ (speaking of his kingdome which is spirituall) did teach his Disciples by the example of a little child, that by reason of it yong yeres, was in qualitie and condition humble: so he would have them humble in spirit; and our Saviour Christ doth not teach heere, that little children are spiritually humble, and therefore may be of this his kingdome: for infants are but borne of the flesh; but they must be borne againe of the spirit, that enter into this kingdome of Christ Io. 3. therefore doth our Savi­our Christ heere speake but of qualitie and condition of children; which is to be humble, not tea­ching hereby that they may be of this his kingdome: Even so our Saviour Christ the in [Page 64] other example (speaking of the power rule, and aucto­ritie of kings, Rulers, and great men) teacheth them, that in his spirituall kingdome amongst his Disciples, he will not have them as kinges Rulers, and great men to reigne one over another; or to be greater one then a­nother in his kingdome. Not teaching hereby, that kings Rulers, and great men may not be of the king­dome of Christ but that his Disciples may not (as kinge Rulers, and great men) reigne one over another in his kingdome.

In all this our Saviour Christ speakes of his kingdo­me which is spirituall: and speakes against spirituall power and auctoritie, and will not therein that his Dis­ciples should seeke to be greater one then another not excepting against, nor Disaproveing the power and au­toritie of earthly kinges and Princes, which is his owne holy ordinance, but that they may be of Christ, retayning their power and auctoritie, and administring in their office, and ought to have all due honor and obedience: But if they, or anie shall seeke to have spiritual power, rule and auctority in this kingdome, and therein make them selves greater then the rest of the Disciples of Christ, that is it which our Saviour heere doth altogether speake against and disaprove, and [...]re vpon, and in this respect teacheth his Disciples to be humble as little children and not seeke in spiritual power and auctoritie to be greater one, then another: for if they do, he that will strive to be greatest shalbe least. But how is this rule of Christ (wherein he so carefully and so often instructed his Disciples) troden vnder foote, and vtterly abolished, of them that professe to be his Disciples. Not to speake of the Pope, and all his confederates who in the hight of all iniquiti [...] [...]th exal­ted himself. VVhat might wee say to lord Bishops who so directly oppose Christ [...]ans in▪ How shall they be able to stand before [...] their spirituall gra­cious [Page 65] lordshipps and dignities so called, and so directly against his word and will. Oh that these thinges were not hid frō their eies. And they that professe a Prebita­rie, who though they beare not such high names and titles as the rest,) et by their ruleing power & aucto­ritie (which by all meanes they seeke to enlarge) if they take not [...]eed, their sinne against this rule of Christ wilbe found little lesse then anie. And if wee speake sparingly of you that professe an Eldership thinke not you, nor lett it be thought of anie, that wee do it, either because wee are partiall, or because your deserts are not fullie evill enough, for the lord knowes, & wee knowe in part, and would to god you knewe your sel­ves, that your iniquitie is great herein, in your seeking and holding superioritie over the congregations whe­reof you are, and that partly by auctoritie, partly by humblenes of mynd seekeing to beare rule over the people of god. If by this our loveing advertisement anie of all you of whome wee have spoken be provoked to evill, you shall therein greatly increase your owne judgments: for the lord knowes wee speake it not to provoke you to evill, but to provoke you to repentan­ce before the great & evill day come, wherein (as for all sinne, so perticulerly & especially for this sinne) the lord will have ast [...]ct accompt if there be not repentan­ce: wee say especially for this sinne, because this sinne of seeking superioritie, rule, & auctoritie hath & doth vtterly destroy all sincere and holy profession of the gospell, keeping in captivitie & bondage the consciences of men▪ overthrowing the strongest that resist, and trea­ding the weake vnder foote, stopping vp the way of li­fe, and men hereby takeing vpon them to have in their b [...]ds onely, the keyes of the kingdome of heaven. To re­taine perticulerly vnto you to whome wee first inten­ded to speake, take you heed, least whilst you set your selves (by your opinion) against Magistrats being of [Page 66] the kingdome of Christ, you have in the meane time, set vp a power and aucthoritie of your owne, and so your second error be as evill as your first.

To put an end to this your first ground, If this ex­ample which our Saviour Christ bring of Kinges, Ru­lers, and great men, because he saith, it shall not be so amongst you, that is, you shall not be like them. It from these words you will yet hold, that Magistrats may not be of the kingdome of heaven; and of the Church, Then you must also hold (except you will shewe your selves void of all vnderstanding) that our Saviour Christ in the same cause and vpon the same occasion, bringing an example of a little child, and saieing it shall be so among you, you shalbe like this little child, you most then hold, that little children may be of the kingdome of Christ, and of the Church: ffor if where Christ saith. Be not like, debarr out them that are brought for the example: then where he saith. Be like, must needs admitt in them that art brought for the example. So then they that from this ground, will admitt infants in, let them see (if they have anie sight) that they debarr Magistrats out: And you that debarr Magistrats out by this ground must admitt in­fants in ffor they are examples of direct cōtraritie, pro­duced for one & the same thinge. Therefore they that debarr out both, and they that admitt both, make thin­ges that are direct contrary to be a like, which is the most vniust and false vnderstanding that can be in men. Let vs therefore the rather prevaile with you, to looke to your waies herein, and reconcile your selves to the word of truth. And marke well the words of our Saviour Christ concerning this point Mat. 18.4. who soever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven and vers. 3. they that are converted and become as little chil­dren, [Page 67] shall enter into the kingdome of heaven, heere is no exception of persons, but Kings and Princes and all great men, if they be converted and become as little children and humble them selves, they may enter in; and be greatest in the kingdome of heaven, not by their princely power, but by their humilitie, which wee vnfainedly wish that all Kings, Princes, and Rulers would see, that not their greatnes, power, nor aucthoritie doth anie thinge at all advance them to, or in the kingdome of heaven: but it is their convertion and humilitie. But your opinion leads you to this; that they cannot be converted except first they cast away their Magistracie. This is of truth your ground, a most woefull ground if you could see the footestepps of it, for if it be so that they cannot be converted except they cast away their Ma­gistracie, then is their Magistracie sinne, and if their magistracie be sinne, then is all their administration wherein they administer by power and vertue thereof sinne, who shalbe able to contradict this? which way shall all the device of men & Angells be able to avoid it, but that if Magistrats cannot be converted to God (that is Repent and beleeve) except they cast away their Magistracie, then is their magistracie sinne, for their is nothinge but sinne that hinders faith and re­pentance.

Do you (that hold this fearefull opinion) yet see into what straytes you are brought, that you have no way to turne yourselves, if there be anie grace or lo­ve of God in you, humble your selves vnto the dust before the lord and his people and proclame your re­pentance, which that you may yet further be pro­voked vnto, see the hight of your sinne, so farr as wee in our great weakenes, are (by the mercie of god) able to shew you: wherein by reason of our so great weaknes, wee must needs exceedingly faile, [Page 68] and come short; but yet to the vttermost that by the grace of god wee shalbe able wee will endeavour to be faithfull to god and you heerein. wee demaund cannot Magistrats, Repent & beleeve, & so be received or enter into the kingdome of heaven, except they cast away their Magistratie? you professe & hold they can­not, why then is their Magistracie sinne & all that they do by the power thereof is sinne. If this be so then hath the most holy, righteous mercifull, & iust god, the god of all power, geven power from himself, & appo­inted an ordināce of Magistracie by vertue of which po­wer given from god, Magistrats do administer, and are comaunded of god to judg righteous judgment. To punish the wicked in justice, & to reward or praise the wel doers in mercie, and all this say you is sinne. And all this doth god give them power & aucthoritie and comaundement to do, and in all this they are his mi­nisters doeing his will, yet not with standing all this is sinne, for if by reason of their Magistracie (retayning it) they cannot be converted, that is, Repent & beleeve, then is their Magistracie sinne, and then all that they do by vertue of that Magistracie which is sinne, must needs also be sinne. Hereby you charge the most high god to ordeyne & give power from himself, to Magistrats, to sinne & so you make it sinne in them to punish thē that do evill, and to praise or reward the weldoers, although they do it by the power and comaundmēt of god, mainteyning hereby that god gives power & co­maundment to sinne, what a fearefull estate & condi­tion is this where vnto this your error hath brought you; how will they answere it, that have & do so stiftly mainteyne & teach this error, is this the least comaun­dement that they breake, & teach men so? Mat. 5.25. To blaspheame the name of god, in makeing him the au­thor of sinne, saying the holy ordinance of Magistracie, which he hath ordeyned is sinne which they say, that [Page 69] mainteyne that Magistrats may not be of the kingdo­me of heaven nor admitted of the Church, except they first cast away their Magistracie: for there being no­thinge to be cast away, to enter into the kingdome of heaven but sinne, if there be no entring for Magistrats, but by casting away their Magistracie, then must it needs be said that Magistracie is sinne. VVee go often over this point, that wee might move you with care­full advised [...]es to consider of it, which wee beseech you by the love of god to do and not to dishonor god and your profession by such errors.

This which T [...]-appost [...]e writes to the Romaines. Chap. 13. and that which is spoken from that place, might suffice for this whole cause of Magistracie, for their power, auctoritie and administration, but it must yet be opposed to another ground, that is held and strongly mainteyned against Magistracie, whereby the most simple harted are deceived, and that is this. The weapons of our warefare are not carnall, but mightie through god to cast downe holds. 2. Cor. 10.4. ffrom this Scripture, divers that holds there may be some sorts of Magistrats to end causes and questions, do yet hold that in anie case, they may not make warr; nor put men to death. It is to be lamented with the tea­re, of mens soules to see the simple harted thus mi [...]led, and they are deceived vnder a dangerous cullor, and great shewe of holines, not seeing the deceipt of Sa­than who transformes himself into an Angell of sight herein, for what holie hart will not easilie be brought to thinke, that war [...] is an vnchristianlike thinge, where there is so much slaughter and blood shedd, and which is accompanied with so manie calamities and mi [...], and which is followed & mainteyned by so great for­ce and violence by the arme of flesh: so likewise is it a lamentable thinge that men should be executed and put to death by sentence of la [...] for offences. Such Ma­gistrats [Page 70] you will in no case admitt of, wee pray you consider, how should such Magistrats as some of you would allowe of, order and determyne causes of con­troversie, without the sword of justice? who would obey their orders and decrees if they had no power to cōstraine, would evill doers be perswaded by words to do well? and would wronge doers by perswation do right? why if they would not, then were all your Magistrats labor lost, they are but weake ymagina­tions to ymagine in your mynds that there can be such Magistrats, but let vs come to your ground. Thus speakes the Appostle 2 Co [...]o. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, the ground and cause of this Th-appostles speach is this. There were certen false Appostles Chap. 11.13-20. cropt in amonge the Corintheans that made a goodly shewe and exalted themselves, and had brought the people in bondage, and to vphold them selves in this their exaltation, they sought to disgrace Th-appostle Paul. And because his writings were of great power and aucthoritie, that they could not [...]sten the aucthoritie of them therefore they sought to disgrace his person Chap. 10. vers. 10. his letters (saith one) are fore and stron­ge, but his bodilie presence is weake and his speach 1. of no value. To this Th-appostle answeres vers. 1. looke ye on thinges after the apperance? and vers. 2. esteeme you vs as though wee walked after the flesh? though wee walke in the fesh, yet wee warr not after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall. In all this shewing and teaching them that they should not esteeme of him according to the out ward apparance in the flesh, for he came not to make a great outward boasting shewe, and to subdue and bring men in bondage by such mennes but by the power of the spirit, for saith he. [Page 71] The weapōs of our warfare are not carnall: but saith tha­ppostle Chap. 13.23. Seeing that ye seeke experience of Christ that speaketh in me, let them knowe that have sinned heretofore, and all others also that if I come, a­gaine I will not spare. All this & much more to this sen­ce speakes he to the Corinthians. And to him that spake those thinges he saith. Chap. 10. vers. 11. Let such on thinke, that such as wee a [...]e in word by letters, when wee are absent, such also will wee, be indeed when wee are present. Thus th-appostle labors to shewe them that his ministerie was spirituall, by the power whereof he came amongst them; but seeing they sought to disgrace his ministerie by disgraceing his person, they should see he would be the same in his deed present, that they confessed him to be in writing absent: with what vnderstanding can men gather from hence, that there may be no other weapons vsed in the world, then such weapons as th-appostle Paul vsed heere in his ministerie of Appostleship against false Appostles. wee have written thus much of this, that you might see how you are seduced, by misapply­ing the words of the Scripture from the sence, which is too vsuall amongst you.

VVel, therin this place wee have learned of th-ap­postle what were his weapons in the ministerie of his Appostle ship, teaching the Disciples of Christ to vse onely such weapons in the like ministerie.

Now let vs also for a full [...] of this point in hand be taught of the same Appostle [...] teaching by the same spirit and aucthoritie [...] with what weapons Magistrats must administer withall in the office of their Magistracie. And that is shewed Rom. 13. where it is said, they beare not the sword for nought: for they are the ministers of God to take v [...]gance on them that do evill.

Heere are the words & sence of the scripture goeing to­gether, & that evidently without all condiction, that God hath given Magistrats power from himself, and a sword to punish and take vengance of all evill doers, for if they may take vengance of one, then of Ten, & so of Ten thousand: this hath god appointed, ordeyned & comaunded, who is a gra [...]ious, me [...]cifull god, & full of pittie & compassion, yea more compassionate, then all men can be and therefore let not men pretend holines in this their compassionate and pitifull disposition, that would not have Magistrats administer with the sword, for Sathan deceaves you thereby, and makes you more pitifull then god, & therein you sinne most greviou [...]ly, when you reioyce in your selves, and thinke you do ex­ceeding well. But the thinge that mi [...]leads you all is this because you can see no sworde, but the sword of the spirit, and no armor but spirituall armor in the kingdo­me of Christ: and therefore the disciples of that king­dome (say you) must have no other weapons, nor put on no other armor, and then can there be no putting to death, nor anie warr neither ought to be, but all spiritu­all. Suffer our folishnes if wee seeme as fooles to spea­ke thus vnto you. Even so in the kingdome of Christ, there is no treasure but spirituall treasure, no baggs but spirituall baggs Luk. 12.33. No buildings, but spirituall buildings. No apparell but spirituall apparell 1. Pet. [...].3. No meate but spirituall meate Rom. 14.17. If then you will cast away all weapons and armor but such as the disciples of Christ vse in his Kingdome, so must you also cast away all your baggs and treasure, and all your buyldings and houses and you must weare no apparell, but spirituall apparel eate no meate but spirituall mea­te. If to all this it be answered, that in the new Te­stament the lawfull vse of al these things be allowed, wee answere even so is the lawfull vse of Magistracie with the sword to punish evill doers allowed and ap­proved [Page 73] in the new Testament, as is proved from Rom. 13. which no man with anie good conscience shall e­ver be able to gain say. To conclude wee in love be­seech you to see what an extreame straite you are brought vnto, (wee meane all these that hold Magi­strats may not be of the Church of Christ, and retaine their Magistracie) that you must say that Magistracie is not an holie ordinance of god, and that all that is done by the power and aucthoritie thereof is sinne, and therefore Magistrats may not be admitted to be of the Church of Christ, except they cast away their Magi­stracie: for if you confesse that it is an holie ordinance of god, and that the administration and execution the­reof, and whatsoever is done by the power and au­thoritie of the same according to the word of god in the punishing of evil doers and praising & rewarding the weldoers be good, and holie & iust in the sight of God, then may Magistrats be of the Church of Christ and retaine their Magistracie: for no man may be debarred out of the church of Christ for doeing of that which is holie and iust & good.

But to deale yet more plainely with you, that the vttermost depth of your error may be discovered, that you and all men may vtterlie detest and abhorr it. If you will say that Magistrats are no otherwise the mi­nisters of god but as the devills are which one of our owne countrimen, the forenamed Mr. lervase Nevile (falling vpon this, and others your errors) most blas­phemously hath affirmed: except you will also hold the same, (which god forbid that anie child of god should do) you can never deny Magistrats for being of the Church of Christ: for if you confesse that they are the holie and good ministers of god applieing then selves there vnto, then how can you deny them as vn­fitt to be members of the Church of Christ, and that onely because they the holie and good ministers of god [Page 74] retayne that their ministerie office and calling where­vnto they are appointed of God.

And now may you see that wee had iust cause in the begining of this question to endeavor to shewe that the lord requireth a diligent, faithfull willing obedience of Magistrats: But the devills obey of for­ce and against their will. And God doth never ma­ke them ministers of his mercie to anie, but wee see heere, God hath ordeyned Magistrats his ministers for good, both in mercie and justice, aswell to reward the weldoers as to punish the evill doers. Of all the people vpon earth none have more cause, to be thank­full to God for this blessed ordinance of Magistracie then you, and this whole countrie and nation, in that God hath by his power and aucthoritie given vnto you magistrats, who have so defēded & deliuered you frō the hād of a cruell distroyer & will you not with­standing contemne this his holie ordinance, and ac­counte it as a vile thinges far be it from you to con­tinewe in this your so great evill.

Thinke not that in the handling of this point, wee seeke to bring your persons in question or contempt with the higher powers, the lord knowes wee have no such intent, wee knowe their worthie patience in bearing with your great weaknesses herein, but to bring this error into contempt amonge you, that you might forsake it, that is it wee see [...]e, and that the simple harted might not be betrayed with it as they are, not knoweing how farr that de [...]pfull opi­nion leads them, and all vnder a shewe of Godlines. Much more might be said then wee are able to say, and wee would willingly have said something [...] [...] this point & of others, but that it is so difficult to get it sett over into you [...] say thus much more vnto you [...] you to [Page 75] tread vnder foote this vnholie disposition that seemes to be so holie, and makes you flatters your selves, and thinke your selves most holie herein, and that is, in that you would not have evill doers punished with the sword. You please your selves much, in your pittifull dispositions herein, and thinke you please God, when it is most evident that you sinne greviously herein: for it is the good will, plea­sure, and comaundement of God that evill doers should be punished by the sword, and to that end he hath given power and aucthoritie to Magistrats, and you contrarie to the good will and pleasure of God, would not have evill doers punished with the sword. Is not this your great sinne to be contrarie mynded to God? take heed least by this your disposi­tion you could also wish or disire that wicked men dieing in their sinne, might not be damned, where­by you should wish the vtter dishonor of God, for then should the enimies of God triumphe over him: and then would they much God to scorne and have him in great derision: but God shall laugh at their distruction and mocke when their feare co­meth. Pro. 1.26. And all the Saincts of God shall reioyce with him. Reuel. 18.20. And if the Saincts in heaven reioyce and praise God, when he punisheth and taketh vengance on the wicked, ought not the Saincts vpon earth to reioyce and praise God when they see or heare that the evill doers are punis­hed heere on earth? by such power and aucthoritie as god hath appointed. And they are the more to prai­se God. seeing the holie ghost doth testifie, that it is for their wealth▪ what great sinne of ingratitu­de and vnthankfulnes is this then in all you, that so disaprove of Magistrats, and of their puni­shing of evill doers by the sword, the which Or­dinance if it were not, all the Godlie on [Page 76] earth should be destroyed and the most Godly first. Now wee know that God is able to defend his with­out the sword, but in that he hath appointed this holy ordinance of Magistracie for the preservation and de­fence of all good men, & for the subdueing & keeping vnder and cutting of the evill doers, let none make the selves more wise and more holie then God, which you all do that disaprove of Magistracie. Repent, for your sinneing with a high hand herein, in dishonoring God by disaproveing his holie ordinance of Magistracie; which he hath comaunded should be honored with all godly feare reverence and obedience. And if you will repent and truely obey god herein, then must you (being comaunded by the aucthoritie of the Magistra­cy) be ready with your owne persons, and all that you have, to support & defend that sword of justice which they beare and wherewith they administer by that power and aucthoritie which they have from god: for who are fitter to support and mainteyne the holy or­dinance of god then they that professe to be the chil­dren of god, and who are fitter to feight iust and good battells then good and iust men; and what simplicitie is this to thinke, that it is more lawfull to hier men to feight a battle, then to feight it them selves. The people of Israell that were the people of god never did so, but they fought the battles of the lord them selves, and thē the lord went farth with their armies, and gave them victory over their enimies, and put their adversaries to flight, and if magistracie be a holy ordinance of God now, as it was then, it is as lawfull for them to defend their countries and people as it was then, and so is it is lawfull for the servants of god, and they ought being comaunded by the magistrats to go to warr as well now as then: and the servants of god might with better consciences and more comfort [...] to battle them sel­ves (being comaunded by the higher powers that [...]e [Page 77] of god) although they died in battle then to hier mē to be slaine for them, to whome the cause belonges not. There is no religion in this that magistrats by reason, of your vnwillingnes to go to battle, for the cause of god and for your owne safeties & preservation should be forced to hier men to feight for you (although you pay for it) and in all this you pretend Religion and conscience: but it is evident by the word of god, that if magistracie be a holie ordinance of god, it is to be supported by all holy and good men, and meanes: And if it be not a holy Ordinance of god, then are ma­gistrats but the ministers of god as the devills are: then are they not to be obeyed for conscience sake, not to be honored: for wee are not bound of conscience to ho­nor and obey the power, aucthoritie, and ministery of devills, but to resist it: and so Th-appostle Pauls doctrine Rom. 13. and Th-appostle Peters doctrine. 1. Pet. 2.3.17. Is all made false and erronious. But far be it from anie that have anie touch of true godlines, to deny that holy ordinance of magistracie, and so to overthrowe the holy doctrines of Th-appostles. Let the godly bewarr of such. Th-appostle Peter hath foretold of them, and of their manner of proceding, for.

First he sheweth that there shalbe false teachers, which privilie shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the lord that hath bought them, and by their followers the way of truth shalbe evill spoken of. And these are they which shall dispise gouerment; which are bould, and stand in their owne conceipt, and feare not to speake evill of them that are in dignitie 2. Pet. 2.1-10. let vs applie this to the persons and cause in hand: These men that most stifely stand against magistracie, have they not brought in damnable heresies? do they not deny the lord that hath bought them? are not the­se they that deny the true humanitie of Christ, deny­ing [Page 78] him to have had a true earthly naturall bodie, wherewith he bought them: which they that deny or are ignorant of, that he had a true naturall earth­ly bodie, they deny, and are ignorant that the lord hath bought them. VVee will not now speake to the rest of their damnable heresies: but to come to this which is one of them, they dispise goverment, and speake evill of them that are in dignitie. Can there be greater dispisers of goverment then they that de­ny it to be lawfull to punish evill doers with the sword, for take away the sword and where is go­verment, will evill doers be governed with a [...]od of reed? do wee not see daylie that manie feares not the sword? and if the sword of justice were taken away, all goverment were overthrowne, and can there be greater dispisers of goverment, then they that would altogether over throwe it. And they speake evill of them that are in dignitie and aucthoritie. Do not th [...]se men speake evill of them when then teach and condemne them for evill doers in their execution of justice against offenders? and can they speake grea­ter evill then to say, they are [...] evill doers as are not worthie to be members of the Church of Christ? what greater evill [...] [...]tempt can be cast vpon them, both before God and [...] people [...] hereby they are absolutely [...] to be the ministers of god, but [...]s the devills are. Can there greater evill be spoken then this. To make it more plaine, that you which touch these thinges against Magistracy are these false The achers that the Appostle Peter heere speaketh of. This is one [...]peciall ma [...]ke, that you do it privilie, for can false [...] teach more privilie then you that teach this [...] you do not vnderstand teaching privily to be in corners and privie places. Th appostle she [...] meaning [...] for he speakes [Page 79] of bringing in heresies privily in teaching of doctrine; and is not this heresie against Magistrats most privily brought in vnder a culler? from our Saviour Christs owne words where he saith. It shall not be so among you: And from Th-appostles words. The weapons of our warfare are not carnall. Is it not privily done? to wrest the scriptures so deceitfully from a shewe of words leaving the true sence of the place, and here­by concluding most privilie and deceitfully, that Ma­gistrats bearing the sword may not be of the kingdo­me of Christ not of his Church. but let that suffice which is spoken before of the misvnderstanding of these Scriptures. And see further, how vnder this first damnable heresie of denying Magistrats to be of the Church, most privily is this heresie brought in that Magistracie is vtterly vnlawfull, and all that is done by the power and aucthoritie thereof is sinne; for as wee have shewed there is nothinge but sinne de­barrs anie from being members of Christs Church, they then that hold that Magistracie debarrs men from being members of Christs Church must needs hold that Magistracie is sinne: and that Magistrats by reason of their office and aucthoritie are sinners. For although a Magistrat should manifest never so great faith and repentance, yet these men will not yeild that he may be of the Church of Christ: for except be cast away his Magistracie, his saith and repentance is no­thinge. This vnholy Office & vnsanctified and horitie doth vtterly overthrowe faith and repentance. Let it not displease you that wee write thus plainely: set if it be a holie Office, and Sanctified aucthoritie, then it cannot debarr anie frō being members of the church of Christ.

Thus may you, & all see, that these among you which teach that Magistrats may not be of the Church, [Page 80] And that it is not lawfull for them to punish evill doers with the sword, nor by the sword to mainteyne warr for the preservation of their contries & people, these are they that privily bring in damnable heresies, despising goverment and speaking evill of these that are in dignitie and aucthoritie, in that hereby they seeke the vtter overthrowe of all goverment, and acc [...]pt aucthoritie and magistracie most vise, because evill doers are punished thereby, which you teach ought not to be, but is sinne & wickednes to be done. And if all men in these Provinces vnder the goverment of the lords & stats generall were of your mynds, as you would have them, where were goverment and magi­strats? were it not all in the dust? Thus is it evident that you would have Kings, Princes, & magistrats vt­terly abolished. Is not this heresie privily brought in: vnder so great a shewe of godlines to destroy the holy ordinance of god▪ and how manie of you vnder­stand that this heresie leads you to accompt magistrats the ministers of god, but as the devills are? wee hope there are thōsands of you that have no such thoughs, and yet it is most evident, and cannot be avoyded but it is, the end of your ground & rule, is not this privily brought in [...]e not therefore deceived by f [...]re & hum­ble speaches, for weep [...] feste vnto you, that it by this that is already said it do not plainely appeare to anie indifferent reader that your ground leads you to this, that all that magistrats do, (by vertue and power of their Office in punishing evill doers) is sinne in them; if anie thinke good to oppose wee wil by gods assistan­ce make it most clere, that all may see it that wincke not with their eies. If therefore you like not to hold that magistrats are no otherwise the ministers of god, but as the devils are, then leave of also to hold that ma­gistrats by reason of their magistracie are to be debar­red out of the kingdome of Church of Christ. And [Page 81] also it shall appeare, that this your ground doth evi­dently overthrowe all Magistracie in the whole earth: for if God would have all Kings & Princes saved, and come to the knowledg & professiō of his truth, which Th-appostle saith he would 1. Tim. 2.2.4. and you confesse the same, and if they cannot come to the knowledg and profession of the truth except they cast away their Magistracie (as you say and hold) then must all Magistracie be cast away in the whole world; for God would have all the Kings Princes, and Magistrats vpō the earth to come to the knowledg of the truth & be saved. And if you like not to overthrowe all Ma­gistrats and Magistracie in the earth, then leave of to hold that they may not be of the kingdome & church of Christ.

One other marke that shewes you are the false Tea­chers Th-appostle speakes of, is, that you stand in your owne conceite, this wee have found in some of you, and wee require wee may not now find it in you all for then shall it appeare evidently vnto all men.

Thus have wee in these pointes wherein wee differ from you, spoken so farr as God hath enabled vs, be­seeching you all with singlenes of hart to try your standing in these thinges wee have spoken of, and that you would not hold these opinions, because you have held them long, but that you will loveingly be advised to search the Scriptures, and see whether you have any Good warrant thus to hold and professe and teach men so. Approve your selves now vnto vs, and vnto all men, that you walke not blindly in the stepps of them that have gone before you, but that you disire and endeavor to walke by true sanctified knowledg from the Scriptures, and that you do not so much see­ke to heape multitudes together, and build vp great Churches and congregations; as to gather together a holy people, and biuld vp pure Churches in the pro­fession [Page 82] of the true faith, that you may be approved of God, which neither you nor anie people can ever do, except you first make sure, that your doctrine be pure and vndefiled: for though a people should never so much excell in all holines of conversation, yea though they should excell in works, in love, & service, in faith & patience, & that their workes should be more at laste thē at first Reuel. 2.19. yet if they suffer false doctri­ne & false teachers, they are impure & polluted churches for a little leavē leaveneth the whole lumpe Gal 5.9. & the lord will not approve of them, but will certenly come against thē with the sword of his mouth, & will remove their candle suckes out of there places.

This the Lord saith, but who beleeves the word of the lord herein. If Churches and Congregations did beleeve these words of the lord, it would make them try their doctrines by the word of the lord & go vpon sound grounds with knowledg & vnderstanding from the word of truth, being testified vnto them by the teaching of the spirit of God, and not receive doctri­nes vpon the good opinion they have of their Teachers knowledg, holines & faithfulnes, although they should excell in all these thinges: neither would the people of God be carried away after anie doctrines by the stron­ge working affections of their mynds, judging it to be the working of the spirit of God, when it is nothinge but the spirit of their owne affections, wherein they may have great motions and feelings with much zea­le but not according to knowledg. Rom. 10.2. There­fore are wee comaunded not to beleeve every spirit, neither in our selves nor in others: but to try first whe­ther they be of God. And hereby shall wee knowe the spirit of error. If wee heare Gods wo [...]d 1. Ioh. 4.6. That is, if wee search and try everie thinge thereby.

[...] that Churches and congregations would thus [Page 83] looke vnto their waies, and not hold errors for com­panie sake, nor walke in by pathes by affections. It is better to hold the truth alone, & to walke in the waies thereof, co [...]rary to all the affections of the hart, which is deceitfull: but this is a hard doctrine, who is able to heare it. It is a pleasing thinge to walke in a profession of Religion with a multitude, and especially it but some of the grounds of their [...]aith agree with mens mynds. This overthrowes the first beginings of the Religion of God when men will chuse to walke with that people, and in that profession of faith that [...]est pleaseth their mynds, not so much regarding the truth of their faith nor the [...] holy walkeing therein: although they may mislike some thinges yet if some please them well, they will not differ for smake matters: and when they are once gathered and kn [...]t together in a multitude, then though error after error be discovered and sinne after sinne comitted, there may be no breaking vpon anie conditions. And this overthrowes all growth of Re­ligion. VVee wish you and all great congregations to looke to your selves, that you be not more carefull to mainteyne your multitude [...] thē the lords truth. It is not a multitude in error & sinne, that can please God: Noe, a fewe walking together in the truth with holines shalbe acceptable in his sight, if they be but two or three, he will be in the midst of them. Therefore please not your selves in your multitudes, walking in so manie errors as you do: for if you repent not of these whereof wee have made mention, and of all other your errors and false doctrins mainteyned amongst you, the lord will assuredly make you desolate: for thus hath he threatned, and executed his judgment vpon Perga­mus and Thyatira because they repented not and he threatnes and will execute the same judgment vpon you which sinne after the like manner of transgression, of you repent not. And your gifts and grates being [Page 84] manie lesse then the gifts and graces of those Churches and your false doctrines and sinnes already manie moe, the greater, and more spedily will his jugdments be vpon you, if you repent not, which wee vnfainedly di­sire the lord to give you Grace to do; Be warned you that are leaders, whilst it is to day, & harden not your harts: why should you perish in your sinnes? & lead so manie simples soule to destruction with you.

Thus praying all the gratious harted amongst you, to remember that the wise man saith. Open rebuke is better then secreet love, and the wounds of a lover are faithfull Pro. 27.5.6. And wee will hope that though wee reprove you, wee shall at length find more love (which is all wee require of you) then they that so flatter you with their tougnes. The grace of our lord Iesus Christ, be with you Amen.