Let the Priests minde and see, If they know From whence they came.

BEhold and see from whence you came, and minde your return: was not your Original I head, root, and foundation the (Pope or) Arch-bishops, and Bishops? amongst which was not the Bishop of Rome, called the Pope, Chiefe Supreame head, &c. Untill the time, or raign of Henry the 8. Late King of England, as by the Lawes of this Nation may appeare, &c.

And the Called Arch-Bishopps, and such, as received Orders from them to be Priests, Ministers, Deacons, and Clarks, &c. Were they not called the body Spirituall, and were and are they not called the English Church. &c.

And after the Pope was put out of Tythes (and that which he had begott) by Henry the 8; the Arch-Bishopps (your fathers) Priests, [Page 6]Ministers, Deacons, Rectors, Clarks, &c. called the body Spirituall and the English Church &c. Were they not endowed with Tythes, &c, (or the Popes honors) and such Parochiall rights &c. As the Pope had begot, and were put out of, when your fore-fathers, (and you) his of-spring entred into his seat, and were they not (adorned, as well as endowed) with the Popes Bringings forth into Parochiall rights, &c. And your fore-fathers (the called Arch-Bishopps: and Bishopps) and (you and) such as received orders from them to be Priests, Ministers, Deacons, Rectors, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and Clarks, were they not (as before is said) called the English Church, as by the statute of Henry the 8. may appeare: and did not the Kings and Nobles endow the said Church both with honours, 24 Hen. 8.12.25 Hen. 8. Cha. 20. and possessions (the Popes ornaments) viz. Tythes, Oblations, Obventi­ons, &c. to keep them from corruption and sinister affection: which it hath not done (as you confesse that are in the miscarriages, Neglect­ers of the work of God, and wrongers both of men and of Christ, as your Agreement witnesseth Page, 3, 4, 19, &c. And the Pope and the See of Rome, had the Triall (amongst other things) of the right of Tythes, Oblations, and Obventions &c.

And by that statute, The Statute. 24 Hen. 8, Cap. 12.26 Hen. 8. Cap. 1. is it not ordained and declared that all spiri­tual Prelates, Pastors, Ministers, and Curates, &c. as they are call­ed, may Use, Minister, Execute and Do, all Sacraments, and Sacra­mentalls, and Divine service unto the subjects of the same: and is not there the (ground of your sacraments, or) proofes of calling them so, The Pope had the Peterpence pensions, &c. till the time Hen. the 8. who endowed the Bishops, and Priests, &c. in the Popes pen­sions, peterpence, fruits, sutes &c. See your selves and read 25. Hen. 8. Cap. 21. and not the Scriptures, in which there is not one word that speaks of Sacraments and Sacramentals, as they are called, and is not King Henry the 8. and his Successors declared there the onely Supreame head in earth of the Church of England.

And by the Statute of the 25. Hen. 8.20. Is it not said, that the Annals or first fruits, which were paid by the Arch-Bishopps of England unto the Bishop of Rome, called the Pope, &c. should cease and not be paid to him, &c.

And by the Statute of the 26, of Hen. 8. Chap. 3. Is not the first Fruits and profits of every Arch-Bishoprick, and Bishoprick, Par­sonage, Vicaridge, &c. said to be taken, & given to Hen: 8. and his suc­cessors, and ever and besides a yearly Tenth of all spirituall livings, &c. as they are called: And did not the Bishopps, &c. receive their pla­ces and rewards from him &c. See more at large in the 26. Hen. 8. Chap. 3.

How they did Proceed to the Election of an Arch-Bishop.

FOr by the statute of the 25, of Hen. 8. Chap. 20. Is it not said, to be Ordained and Established, that the King and his successors, may grant to the Prior and Covent or the Dean or Chapter of the Cathe­dral Churches, or Monasteries, a licence under the great seal, as of old time hath been accustomed to proceed to the election of an Arch-Bishop at eve­ry Avoidance of any Arch-Bishoprick or Bishoprick, within the Realm of England with a Letter Mislive, containing the name of the person, which they shall elect and chuse, &c. See more at large concerning the same, in the 25. Hen. 8. Chap. 20. aforesaid.

The Ordination of a Priest, or [pretended] Minister, &c.

BY a Statute made, the 13. of Eliz. Chap. 12. Is it not said to be ordained that every person, under the degree of a Bishop, which doth or shall pretend to be a Priest, or Minister of Gods holy Word and Sa­crament, &c. shall in the presence of the Bishops, declare his Assent, and subscribe to all the articles of religion, which concern the confession of the true Christian faith, and the doctrine of the Sacraments, in a book imprinted, entituled Articles; And whereupon, was it not agreed, by the Arch-Bishops, and Bishops, and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year, 1562. And that none should be made Minister, or admitted to preach, or adminster the Sacraments in Eng­land, under the age of 24. yeares, or unlesse he be approved by the Bi­shop of the Diocesse, being a Deacon at the least, &c. And all ad­missions to benefices, &c. And all licences, or tolerations, made to the contrary to be meerly void in law, as if they never were, &c. Therefore minde where you are, and see if you know,

A Manifestation of your Down-fall, &c. or, your Foundation shaken and razed, &c.

FOr, is it not manifest, that the Foundation of (your fore-Fathers) the late Arch-Bishops and Bishops, &c. here in England, was man, &c. viz. Kings and Queenes of England, with the Priors and Covent of Monasteries, and the Deans, 3 Elizae Cap. 1.12. and the Chapters of the Cathedralls, And that the ministers, Pastors, Rectors, Parsons, Preach­ers, Vicars, Curates, and Clarks, &c. as they call them, were Members and Branches arising from that root, and body, viz. The Arch-Bishops and Bishops, of which the Bishops of Rome called [Page 8]the Pope, was head till Henry the eight: and King Henry the eight, put him out, and let him in, &c. Which Arch-Bishops and Bishops, by a Late Ordinance of Parlament, were, and are taken away, and also rendered uselesse.

And by another Ordinance, or act of Parlament, is not the Kingly Power and Goverment (by which they had been set up) taken away? &c.

And is it not therefore manifest, by the lawes, statutes, and ordinan­ces afore said that the called Priests, Ministers, Rectors, Pastors, Preach­ers, Vicars, Curates, and Clarks, &c. were Members and Branch­es of the late Arch-Bishopps, and Bishopps of this Nation: and had their risings and sprung from that root and body, and of that root and body were members and branches: and that the Arch-Bishopps and Bishopps themselves, were made and had their Rise from the Kings and Queens, Priors, Covents, Monasteries, Deanes, and Chapters: Arch-Bishops and Bishops, Root and Branch, and their power and Authority being disanulled, rendered and declared uselesse, abolished, and taken away as afore said, &c.

Doth it not clearly appeare, that all the Priests so called, and is it not manifest, that they and the ministers in England, with the called Rectors, Parsons, Pastors, Preachers, Vicars, Clarks, and Curats, being branches and members of that body and root, are (or ought to be) as branches taken away, disanulled and abolished, and the Root of their root, The Kings and Queens of England, &c. And it being clearly made manifest and proved that their foundation (and yours) is of man, and from man, and them, and their foundation; and the root (of their root) by man razed, taken away, made null, and rendered use­lesse: are not they (and you) left without foundation and bottom? &c.

Who were not one amongst themselves, 24. H 8.12. and the 25.8.20. neither (are you) the same this generation, that was the last before, but alters and changes, with times, and men, &c. As your fore-fathers, and Priests of England, and their predecessors have done, and is it not▪ manifest that in the time of Henry the Eight, the late King of England: their predecessors, denied the Pope for their head; 2. and 3. of Ed. 6. Chp. 1. and owned Henry the Eight for their head, &c. ( viz. the Priests) Arch-Bishops and Bishopps &c.

And in the time of Edward the sixth, did not their predecessors ( viz. the Priests) and your fore-fathers denie the Masse-Book, and instead thereof received the Common prayer-book; at this hand, &c, And again in Queen Marry her time, they denied the Common prayer-book, and received the Masse book, &c.

Sessio secunda Anno Mariae primo. Chap. 2.3.

And after that in the time of Queen Elizabeth they denied the masse-book, and again received the common prayer-book, &c. 1 Eliz. Chap. 2.

[Page 9]And in the time of the late Parliament; was not the Common Prayer Book denied, and the Directorie received (by you), rather then you would deny your worldly honours, and possessions, and what you now own is manifest to all the Children of light, &c. And how that you are setting up your fore-fathers works, and though you be made sensi­ble of your deceipts, and the unprofitablenesse of your Ministry, yet rather then you will deny your selves, of what you have received by tradition, from your forefathers, and forsake your deceipts, you ra­ther would keep people still, by force as it were, under your dead dark, cold, barren Ministrie, (and destroyes their soules) for your own ends, who are wrongers, both of them, and of Christ, and are made sensible of it, as you say: pag. 19. and feares least God require their blood at your hands; &c.

And Richard Baxter and the other 40. and odd, who calls your selves Ministers of Christ, and are the untaught teachers (out of the doctrine of Christ) and are in the miscarriages, growing worse as you say, you have, in the grounds and reasons in your Agreement and Catechisme, ac­knowledged the same, and so hath made your selves also manifest to be both the untaught teachers, and the unprofitable servants, and wants your pardon, (and then you must needs want your warrant) from God, for the same: therefore (as you are proved by Law and Gospel to be with­out warrant) you are also proved by your own confession, so to be, in your Agreement: for you say page 3, We the Ministers of Christ, whose names are under written, &c. do humbly bewaile our too great neglect, that we have not employed our care, and time, and labour, on so great a work, according to the strict and holy precepts and paterns in Gods word, &c. We earnestly begg of God to pardon this our great neglect, &c. Here you have proved your selves to be the untaught teachers, that are neglecters of the work of God: Act. 6.4. Act. 20.20, 21, 22, 23.24.25.26, 27. for such as are taught of God, and abide in his doctrine, are diligent in the work of the Lord, and do not neglect it as you do, who are the idle loyterers, and now you idle loyterers, and unprofitable servants, are you made so farr sensible of your idlenesse and negligence in that work, which, as you say, is according to the strict and holy precepts & patterns in Gods word, and yet you would shelter your selves under the name of Christ whil [...]st you are such, and also wrongers of men, and of Christ, page 19. &c. And calls your selves the Ministers of Christ, whil'st you are acknowledging your idlenesse, negligence (miscarriages, page 4. &c:) and the wrong you do to men and to Christ, and yet without a pardon for the same; Be ashamed of your idlenesse, and negligence in that which you have pro­fessed and for which you have taken peoples monys; for your idlenesse and negligence, miscarriages, and wronging men and Christ (which you your selves also confesse) therefore be ashamed of your deceipt, and of your miscarriages (and the wrongs you have all this time done to men and to Christ (and have taken their mony for the same). Goe and restore four-fold, and cease your deceivings, be ashamed also of your lies, [Page 10]never call your selves the Ministers of Christ whil'st you are the idle loyte­rers, wrongers of men and Him, and such as neglects his work, as you do, and have all this while done, and that according to your own saying too? If you have all this while beene in the miscarriages unpar­doned (as you say) you must needs be the untaught teachers (as you are) and if you have all this time beene wrongers of men, and of Christ (as you say) and unpardoned for the same, you must needs be the enemies of God and good men, and so no Ministers of Christ, for he doth not teach his Ministers to live in miscarriages as you do, nor to wrong him, and men (as you do) who are not taught yet to deny and forsake the same: therefore you are out of his doctrine, who receive not his teachings, and so are ye untaught teachers, as well as the unprofitable servants (and curs­ed deceivers) for if you have all this while beene in the miscarriages; do­ing wrong to God and Men, and also idle, and out of the work of God, and now being sensible of it confessing the same, and bewailing your i­dlenesse and negligence, and wants yet your pardon for the same; whose works have you done all this while, Mica. 3.5.11. Isa. 56.10.11 Jer. 5.30, 31. Isa. 55.2, 3. Ezek. 34. (the Devils or your own)? and for what have people spent their meanes and money on you, for your idlenesse and negligence, keeping them in blindnesse and ignorance, and for doing God and them wrong, who have confessed the same, and that you have beene idle and neglected to do the great work of God accor­ding to his word, therefore in neglecting that and being idle therein, and instead of doing the same, Your third An­swer agreeing with page 3.4.17. have beene wronging both Men and Christ himselfe, you have cleared your selves from being his Ministers, and proved your selves (to be the cursed deceivers, and are found and proved) to be the unprofitable servants, being idle and neglecters of the great work of God, by you left undone; and then you must needs have beene doing the works of your Father the Devill ( John 8.44.] and your own; who are wrongers of God, and men, and so hath deceived their soules, and taken their meanes, and mony for the same, and for that which is not bread, as the false Prophets, and idle Shepherds afore­time did, therefore you that are such, your judgment and condemnati­on will be the greater, Mark. 12.38.39.40. Have you both wronged men, and of them sought your own ends and gaines, and luld them a­sleepe in security, and taken their money and meanes for sleeping there­in, and as you confesse have not awakened them out of the same, nor yet turn'd them from darknesse to light, that have them yet unturned from sin unto God, as your Agreement doth witnesse: therefore be not offended at others, who are sent from the Lord, to tell you the same, and for that your work of deceiving, and wronging Christ and them, take you the shame and give over deceiving soules for your own ends, and earthly gaines; for you are those that labour in vaine, being wrong­ers of God and Men, and idle and negligent (as you say) in the great work of God, according to his holy word; and so you have proved your selves to be none of Christs Minister, but enemies, and cursed de­ceivers, for it is written, cursed be such as do the work of the Lord, deceitfully or negligently, and as you have done, therefore that [Page 11]curse stands upon you and them that with you remaine under the same; Jer. 48.10. Jer. 11.3.

And now that you are discovered, witnessed against, and made ma­nifest to be deceivers, wrongers of God, and wrongers of Men, and to be idle negligent and the unprofitable servants, you have also confessed (since you say you were your selves awakened unto the same) yet you make flatteries and excuses, and false glosses to hide your de­ceipts under? Promising amendment, but doth not regard to forsake your false Ministry and worships, and turne to the truth in the life of it, being found out of the life in the lust, and miscarriages, wrongers of God and Men, and hath your people asleepe in security, &c. But if any should have beene sent of the Lord, into your market places or steeple-houses, where you sell your ware, and use your trade of de­ceipt, to deceive soules, and wrong Christ and them, for your own ends, and if they had but told you that which you have confess, you would have beene all on an uproare, and have had your disciples, ready to fight for you with clubs and fists, and after have sent the mes­senger of God, to Prison for it, as at Kidderminster and Worcester, were made manifest, when there was not so much spoken against you, Titus 1.16. 2 Tim. 3.8.9. and 12. as since, in your Agreement, you have confest; but yet continue in and ra­ther grow worse and worse, as deceivers (like you) evil men and sedu­cers in former ages did; 2 Tim. 3.12▪ but your folly is made manifest as theirs was, who professes God in words, but in works deny him as such did that did so before you, who were reprobate concerning the true Gos­pel purifying faith, (as you are) and to every good work abominable and reprobate: therefore behold your blindnesse and folly made mani­fest, and for the time to come beare your reproofes, and take shame to your selves, if any be moved againe by the Lord to come into your stee­ple-houses, and tell you that you have confessed the same; and that your own mouths witnesse against you and your hearers, as in your A­greement, is also made manifest.

That you are wrongers of God, and of your hearers, page 19. and in the miscarriages liven formerly in ( page 4.) unpardoned, and that you are bewailing your negligence or idlenesse, in the great work of God ac­cording to his word, page 3. and saying you will amend, and begg pardon for the same; And if any be moved of the Lord to come amongst you, seeing you still continue as you was, and asks why you do not come out of your miscarriages, and give over deceiving of souls, and cease to wrong God and Men, for your own ends, and say unto you, why do you not performe your promise, but say and do not, as hypocrits and the false Prophets do and aforetime did, as the Scripture witnesseth; or if there come any amongst you, and aske you, If you have yet got a pardon, &c. granted for your former negligence, miscarriages, and wrong done to Christ, and to Men, or to aske you (seeing you go on in the same) if you have any toleration or warrant from God so to do, &c. [Page 12]Will you not cause them that so do come to aske you or speak as the Lord shall more them) to be haled out of your Steeple-houses, and had to prison for the same (as formerly some of you have done) and, If any be moved of the Lord, to come to your Steeple-houses, and ask If your hearers be awakned, out of their sleepiness, and to aske also If you be turned out of your Miscarriages, from preaching for hire, and being called of men masters, and from wronging others, and al­so from your Idle Lazy Negligence, John 16, 2, 3. Act. 17.5.6. &c. Act. 22.27, 28, 29, 30. &c. Will you not be offended at them, for it, as Richard Baxter was with me, when I spake to him in the Steeple-house in Worcester, who caused me to be haled out, (as Anti-Christian-Ministers afore time did) and afterward the same day, when he was spoken to, in the Street would not stand, but fled as the Hireling useth to do, John the 10. And suffered the prison, to be a place of security to keep truth shutt up into those bonds, rather then to be at liberty to reprove his deceipts, which is evident by his fruits, which now also under a cover he hath confessed, and is in that Agreement of his and 40. odd, Priests, Pastors, Ministers, Preachers, Rectors, and Curates and Teachers, further made manifest.

And, Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord Negligently, but Richard Baxter thou hast done it Negligently this many yeares; and above 40. Priests with thee, according to your Confession, in your Agreement, and therefore you are under that Curse. And now, O ye Priests, this Commandment is for you; If ye will not heare, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts; I will even send a curse upon you, and will curse your blessings, yea I have cursed them already, there­fore will I make you contemptible, and base before the people, accor­ding as ye have not kept my wayes Mal. 2.1, 2. and ver. 9. Mal. 2.1, 2, 3, 4.8, 9. Behold saith the Lord I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it, Mal. 2.3. Your agreement in which you have confessed your wrong to Christ, and to men, and your former miscarriages then continued in, and in which you have confessed your negligence, &c. It was dated the 4. of May 1655. And then you wanted your pardon both for your wrong done to God and men, and your negligence in the work of God also: as also for your former miscarriages, &c. as you have confessed, and therefore are guilty, and must come under condemnation for the same, but, (To flatter and dissemble with the people) you say, you will resolve for the time to come to amend, but doth not yet do it, being still in the old nature and will-worships, perfection, miscarriages, and doing wrong as you did, yet you say you and all the adjacent-churches will set apart a day publickly, to fast and pray for a pardon, &c. I say; the church in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 1.1. Which is the pillar & ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15. doth deny you and all wrongers of God and men; and persecuters of the Innocent, and such as are called of men masters, professing them­selves Christs-Ministers: and all such as deceive souls for dishonest gain, and lives in perfection, and such, and the like miscarriages as you [Page 13]and your generation do, and the prayers of the wicked are sin, & such as turneth their care from hearing the Law [in the heart, and of God, Jer. 31.33.] their prayer is an abomination to the Lord God, Pro. 28. and 9. ver. And such as you that neglect the work of God, and lives in persecu­tion, (the work of the Devill) and in the miscarriages wronging God and men, as you do, they are those that turnes their care, from hearing the law, and their hearts from receiving the truth, standing in opposition a­ganst it (as you do); and therefore their prayers are abomination to the Lord, as yours and all that work such wickedness, as you do, is: for thus faith the Lord unto such; Isa. 1.15. when ye spread forth your hands I will h [...]de mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers I will not heare, your hands are full of blood and (hearts as well as) houses are full of deceit, and over passeth the deeds of the wicked, Ier. 5.26, 27. and such like, and they that neglect the work of the Lord are cursed children, having hearts exercised with covetuous practices, 2 Pet. 2.3, 13, 14. And what Churches are you, and you that are such, who are in the cursed nature, and wicked practices in sin, and unturned to God, Isa. 59.2? What is your fasts worth that lives in strife and debate, persecution and wicked­nesse, behold in the day of your fasts do you not find pleasure? And are you not bringing forth persecution, as in this Nation is manifest, (as well as you exact all your labours) Isa. 58.3. behold do not ye fast as hypo­crites and persecuters do, that fast for strife and debate: Matth. 23.4, 5. &c. who smite with the fists of wickednesse, causing your voice to be heard on high, afflicting the soul for a day, and hanging down the head as a bullrush, and, instead of loosing the bands of witkedness, you strengthen the hands of evil doers; & instead of undoing the heavy burthens, you bind them Pharise-like up­on mens shoulders and will not your selves touch them with one of your singers (sueing some for Tythes and taking treble dammages &c.) And instead of letting the oppressed go free, you and your generation cast the Innocent into prisons-holes, and dungeons, as your prisons in these parts against you may sufficiently witnesse: and are not these the fruits (of Jezabel, and) of the Hypocrites fast, and not that which the Lord doth re­quire, Isa. 58.3, 5, 6, 7. Wherefore be ye witnesses against your selves that you walk in the false Prophets and Pharisees your fore-fathers steps, as your fruits make you manifest: and as you may read, Math. 23.31, 32, 33, 34. &c and you have under a cover confessed the same, who wants a pardon for your negligence (in the work of God) as you say, & for your former miscarriages [which was before the 4. day of May, as aforesaid] and therefore you want a pardon for your perfecting and imprisoning of Tho. Goodaire, once in Kiderminster, & twice in Worcester, before that time, and some others hath been imprisoned at Worcester, and in Worcest▪ Anne Him­ing: Richard Ke [...]bey for Tyths, &c. and many at Evesham since your hypocriticall false hearted and deceitfull confession, promising amendement, and rather growes worse and worse, so manifest­ing your hypocrisie and filling up your measure of iniquity, as your fore­fathers did, & leaving both your words and actions to be standing wit­nesses against you, as they did; that it may appeare for all your Evasions and Colourable glosses that you are their off-spring and beareth their marks by which you are known, Ma [...]th. 7.20. Matth. 7.15. &c.

[Page 14]And seeing that your ministry takes little place in working any good effect in your hearers, but leaves them ignorant in matters of salvation, page 19. of your Agreement, you are resolving in your wills and miscarrying wombe or nature and Spirit, from whence your continued miscarriages proceeds, to revive your fore-Fathers worke, and set up a forme of words for them to get to say over to you, as was used to be done to the Bishops at Trent or at Trull, and you promise salvation upon the performance, and threatens damnation upon the refusall (Pope-like) saying that that way of using Cathechising], familiar and personall instruction, and to have the people to get the Creed, the Lords prayer and ten commande­ments or any other And is not those (which you call any other Orthodox Cate­chisme) such as were set out by he old Bishops and their off-spring that were in the miscarriages as you also are &c. And confesse page the 4. of your Agreement. Orthodox Catechisme, and your expositions, to say over to you; and so that will be a meanes you say to kill ignorance. But the same meanes hath been used by the Bishops and Prelates, and yet it hath not done that which you would have it to do, and do you think that if it did not do it by your fore-Fathers applying, that it receives any more vertue or power from you, to do it by your re­vieing their work, and useing the same meanes, and with the same miscarrying nature, and wrongfull Spirit, which they did make use of it with all: but your covers are too narrow, and leaves you bare, and ignorance remaines still amongst your hearers, Math. 11.27.28.29. Act 4.11.12. Heb. 7.25. and the miscarri­ages amongst you their untaught teachers, (as it did with your fore-Fathers.)

And you say the diligence of Papists and Sectaries will condemne you, if you will not do halfe so much in a right way to save mens soules, Math. 6.24. Math. 7.13.14. [...]5.16.17.18 [...]9, 28▪ as they will do in a wrong way to pervert them; would you not here have people to set you up as their saviour, and so cause them to neglect com­ing from you to look unto Christ for teaching, who is a true Saviour, and teacher of his people, and perfectly able to save all that come unto God by him (without you): but your designe is seeme; and all your co­vers will not hide you, who seeks to cast that off from you to the Papist and Sectaries, which your selves are guilty of and found in, for if the way of neglecting the work of God, and living in miscarriages, wrong­ing Christ and Men, growing worse, and running yet further from God, as you do, and have done, be not the wrong way, and destructive to mens souls, what is? for there is but two waves the right and the wrong &c. If you walk in that wrong way, wherein you miscarrie, and wrong God and Men, growing worse and running further therein; do not the Papists the same, and are not you and they therein one, and so walk with them in that way, whose actions proceed from one ground and Spirit, though in some words and formalities you differ, but in the e­vill (and wronging God and Men, &c.) are Joyned together; and there­fore may stop your mouths of condemning others, for that which you are found guilty of: your words as well as your actions beare witnesse against you, and your bitternesse and persecuting the servants of Jesus, [Page 15]as your Prisons (and barbarous or cruel usage) at Evesham and other places may witnesse for the truth, and against your deceit, and wrong done to men and God (as you say in your agreement) therefore you and the Pa­pists goes on in one nature together: the Papists you say bring all [...]he people to confesse their most secret sins unto their Priests, and do not you labour to bring the people to do so unto you, the Parish Masters, idle Shepherds, and hireling Preists, and then are not you and the Papists therein both one in nature, and property, Ez [...]k. 3 [...], [...] & [...] though differing a little in words and colourable clauses. And where you tell of creeping into houses; who more then you creeps into the Popes houses, which you (with and from them) call Churches? but let me aske you that run so out of them (from whence you sprung) wherein do you and they differ in worships and practise therein? Whether in manner or matter? if in manner one­ly you differ, and not in matter, then do you not agree in the maine? if so, then are not you and the Papists in religion, and worships as well as nature and property one, though differing in some words & formalities &c. but both in the vaine traditions, and observing your fancies, and braine imaginations as the Serpents seed did in all ages.

You resolve in your wills to set on a worke (in your imaginations) pro­mising salvation upon the performance, and damnation upon the refu­sall, page 30. and so would merit Heaven by your actings, in the nature from whence ariseth negligence, and miscarriages, page 3, 4. and wrong to men, and to Christ, page 19. and do not the Papists hold the same? thinking to merit Heaven by their own actings in that nature, and spi­rit of deceipt, which guides them to neglect the work of God, and also into miscarriages, and to wrong men and God, (like you and persecuters, and seed of evill doers.) If so, then are not you and the Papists one there­in, and why do you crie out against that so much in others; your selves being guilty of and found in the same, and doing their work; onely dif­fering here and there in words, formalities & some colourable glosses, &c.

You say page 23. you have all need to joyne heart and hand, to help one another safe to heaven, and all little enough you say; I answer, yea and too little too, for in that nature in will not be done, which teacheth you to wrong Christ and Men, for if in that nature you could do it; why might not the Papist in the like nature with you, do the same? and are not you therein with the Papists, one? or if any get out of your ignorance and come from under the wrong, and out of the miscarriages in obedi­ence to the teachings of Christ the true teacher and Saviour whom you wrong, that they get into Heaven before you, or sit with Christ Jesus in heavenly places, whilst their bodys are on the earth, as the Saints at Ephesus did, whil'st their bodys were there: and such as are saved by grace having their souls purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit, where selfe is denyed, are not you (through ignorance of the way that leads out of error, heresie, miscarriages, Popery, and darknesse) rea­dy to call such hereticks as are come out of that, and into the glorious light and injoyments of the sons of God, to worship the Father in Spirit, I [Page 16]say, are you not ready to call such hereticks; who are come out of it (viz) the darknesse, E [...]he. 1.6. Co. 1.13. 1 Pet. 1.22.23, 24. Reve. 21.3.23.24. Joh. 4.23.24. 2 Cor. 3.16.17. Gal. 4.4, 5, 6, 7.8. 1 Cor. 4.6.7. and heresie which you live in, and would rank them with the Papists under that denomination, to cover and shelter your selves, thinking to cast that upon them which they are freed from, and you and the Papists are found in union with, and guilty of, being both of you out of the right way and in the wrong, that are neglecters of the work of God and wronging God and men, and living in the miscarriages, and so in the heresies, error, and disobedience to the truth, following your own Spirits, and obeying the imagined fancy, formed up in your own wills, and living in the vaine traditions and customes of the Heathen, as you and they do; but your mist dazels the eye of none but the willfull blind and such as are in sleepy security, and in sin unturned to God, who are already deceived, and the eye covered or blinded, by which they should see both delusion and heresie, in which you and they therein agree, who grow worse, and run yet further from God, &c.

For the Papists believe they shall never be free from sin here in this life: and therein they are reprobate concerning the true Gospel soul-saving and purifying faith: and you believe the same [viz] that you shall never be freed from sin here in this life; and then must not you with the Papists have a purgatory? seeing that nothing which is uncleane shall in any wise enter into the holy City, Rev. 21.27. and the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, as it is said, and by the Ambassadour of Christ declared, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. and are not you reprobate concerning the true Gospel, Gal. 5.20, 21. soul-saving and purifying faith who denieth the property of it in denying purity of heart; and abid­ing in darknesse, and the nature opposite to the true light believing, or saying you believe, you cannot or shall not be free from sin here in this life, and therefore are not you and the Papists both one, and your faith and theirs in nature and property (being dead and corrupt) there­in agreeth together; but I deny the Papists and you, the wrongers of Christ and Men, and that faith which doth not purifie the heart, & wit­nesseth that faith and power which doth, Act. 15.89. H [...]b. 2.10.11. and as the Saints did, as the Scripture witnesseth, and God which searcheth the hearts beareth me witnesse as he did them who (giveth the holy Ghost that) purifieth the heart by faith: and we know that we were not redeemed with corrup­tible things as silver and gold, from that vaine conversation which had been received by tradition from your fore Fathers, &c. Who received Silver and Gold, and did not the work which they and you pretended, who took and taketh the dishonest gaine, but we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as a lambe without blemish, 1 Pet. 1.18.19, 20, 21, 22, 23.

The Papists, they say they believe in one God & three persons, & in your A­greement, in the exposition of the Creed, you say the same: but neither you nor the Papists believe in that God that freeth from sin without your tra­dition & vaine imagination; who say you are in miscariages growing worse [Page 17]and running yet further from Him: but by what part of Scripture the Pa­pists and you prove your three persons I know not; for the Scripture speaketh not so, but saith there is three witnesses which three agree in one, & are one, Joh. 14.20. 1 John 5.7.8. Joh. 7.21.22.23. & he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son, 2 Joh. 9. and the holy Ghost remaineth within, Joh. 14.15, 16, 17. 1 Joh. 3.24. which you have shewed your ignorance of and both of that doctrine, union and faith▪ that in the same power doth stand, where the flattering and entising words of mans wisdom (like yours and the Papists) are judged and condemned, Statute 2. Mariae 1. Chap. 3. as well as shut out by that which doth the world comprehend.

The Papists they call Steeple-houses Churches, and there sell their inventions, and brain-imaginations for their own ends, deceiving soules with their traditions and vaine observations, Stat of 2. & 3. Edw: 6. Chap. 1. who wrong them and Christ himselfe: and do not you the same, and such as are in ig­norance of the foundamentals of true religion, being ignorant of, and out of the way of salvation, in the vaine traditions, familiar and perso­nall instructions, arising out of the miscarrying nature, It seemes that which is call [...]d Communion or the Sacraments so called, were commonly called the Masse, as appeares by the Stat 2. & 3. Edw. 6. Chap. 1. and are in sin and sleepy security as you and your hearers (as you say) are: therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one?

The Papists they sprinkle their Infants, and holds that infants bap­tisme (as they call it) came in the roome of Circumcision, and you hold the same; therefore in that as well as persecution and other things, are not you and the Papists both one? but what Scripture proofe without your imaginations have you for the same, and seeing that in the order of Circumcision they did but circumcise the male Children onely, and not the female, and, if Infants baptisme as you and the Papists affirme, came into the roome; why do you breake that order, &c. in baptising not the males onely (as you call it) but the femnles also; what trick hath the Pope taught you and them to make a cover for that?

And do not the Papists worship that which they have received by tra­dition from their fore-Fathers and also set up an image according to their fansie, and imaginary worship in their own wills, and the miscarrying nature contrary to God: binding all they can to submit to their fansies, and worship their Image, and vaine conceivings, Banbury, Bristoll Exetor, Maid­stone, Colchester Bedford, &c, and those that can­not for conscience sake towards God submit with them to the same, but oppose their deceipt and false worship, those they persecute and impris­son; and cause them to suffer affliction, distresse, and necessity, &c. and did not you so at Kedderminster, Worcester, and Evesham; as well as they in your nature do at Northampton, Oxford, and Cambridge, and o­ther places, who (do and) have done the same; Therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one, or guided by one Spirit, and in union together with the deceipt, &c? and would cast it upon the inno­cent whom you persecute, that denieth the Popes wayes and your false worships, and stands a witnesse against all deceipt in Pope and Papists and all the false worshippers, who are jarring and jangling about words and formalities, & ioyneth together to oppose and persecute the life [Page 18]and power of truth, but it is in vaine for you to strive against the streame, or hard for you to kick against the prickes, Statute 1. Mary 1 Cap. 3. without getting an inward wound or mayme, if not broken and dasht to peeces by so doing.

The Papists have sacraments and sacramentalls, as they (and you) call them, which there is no Scripture for, and you have the same; then wherein do you and they therein differ, except in the manner, and a­gree in the matter, and so therein become one: and yet you cry out of those, who ranking you with the Papists deny both you and them and your will worships, and the deceipt and miscarriages which you and all such live in, who are wrongers of God and Men, and worships their fancies formed up in the dark minde, and the imaginations of their own braine, and so are without Scripture proofe, and warrant from God for the same, as you and they therein are.

John Stelham Preacher of the Gospel, at Ed­enborough as he saith in Scot­land, P. E. &c.Doth not the Papists hold that the bread which they receive at a Sacra­ment so called, that though it be bread before in the nature & substance: yet notwithstanding, would they not have it to be Spirit and Life in the institution at the receiveing, after their consecration? and if they do so, there is of those that call themselves Preachers of the Gospel, at Edenborough in Scotland, which Church you speake of; that holds the same, as I can produce under their hands, and if you own it with them do you not go against the oath of Abjuration, and also agree and joyne with the Papists therein, and though you may differ in manner, yet owning that; is there not an agreeing in the matter: and if so, then do not you and the Papists agree therein? and are you not one in the maine, and yet are not ashamed, some of your generation as well as you, to accuse others for Papists, and Jesuits, that deny all their wayes and false worships in manner and matter, and denies their deceipt and yours and stands to witnesse against the same, turning that upon you and them againe, that you may see your casting the name of Papists and Jesuits upon them that denies both their deceipts and yours, neither proveth them to be as you say they are, nor cleares your selves from the old reliques of Po­pery: and if you take the oath to renounce it all? and yet live in it; are you not forsworne, and perjured persons, or any that do so: consider well of it.

And what difference is there betwixt the call of the Papists, Priests, Mimisters, Rectors, and Curates, &c. to the Ministry which they live in, and the call of you the Priests, Ministers, Pastors, Teachers, and Rectors, as you call your selves, to the Ministry which you live in? Are not they called of men? And is not your calling the same? For had not they the rule of creating of Priests, Ministers, Pastors, Teachers and Rectors, or ordering amongst them, &c. (untill the raigne of Henry the 8th.) in this realme, and then did not he cut the Pope out off that which he had brought forth into Parochiall rights so called, as Tithes, Obventions, &c. And did not he set up Arch-bishops and Bishops, and they created or called your fore-Fathers the Priests, Pastors, and Rectors, and Tea­chers, &c? And were not the Arch-Bishops, their and your Creators or Callers, cut off by the late Parlirment, and rendered uselesse; and do not you now call and create one another; and if so, are not you selfe-cal­lers to selfish Ministry? and how can you cleare your selves from being in­stead [Page 19]of young, Popes, or like the young Bishops that were before you, creating or making and calling, Priests, Pastors, Teachers, and Rect­ors, and so self-callers of self-seekers, putting out and in at your plea­sure & displeasure, & so are creating, & begetting, or calling one another for your own ends, & now are found (as you say) wrongers of Christ and men, and therefore may well fear that God will require their blood at your hands, and so you are on uncertain grounds, men also (as you say) of mis­carriages, growing worse, and are yet without pardon for the same: The papists sets up a worship in their wills, and in that nature which teacheth them to neglect the great work of God according to his word, and do not they excommunicate such as will not walk with them in their in­ventions, and worship their Imaginary worship, set up in that na­ture, out of which ariseth all Miscarriages, &c. and do not you pro­mise the same? And then wherein do you and the Papists differ but onely in the maner? if you do so agree in the matter, and be all one in the main, &c.

It is not your calling others Papists that are not, that can cleare you from that root; neither doth your saying that you are the Ministers of Christ prove you to be so: who are found out of his doctrin and not knowing his commandes, or call, his ministry and worship; that refuse his way and walk in the practice of his ministers, who your selves are Lords and Masters, and called by man, approved, sett up, and are re­ceiving your wages of the world, and persecuting Christs messengers that are sent to witnesse against deceits, and deceivers, and would think to make people believe you to be that which you are not, by casting that upon others which is yours, received from your fore-fathers, and returns upon you and Papists again, to remain from whence it came, and the burthen you are like to bear, and judgment from God ex­pect for the wrong against him and men which you do, and have done.

And now that your deceits is made manifest and testified against, you are seeking to revive your former work, & to deceive people by your flat­teries and false confessions and Colourable glosses: for you set up your will-worships, in the nature which is contrary to God, and hath taught you to neglect his work (as you say) according to his word, & in that nature by which you have been led into your miscarriages [and promiseth salvation upon the performance and damnation you threaten upon the refusall] and say you shall proceed with those that refuse, and deal with them as the obstinate despisers of Instruction ought to be dealt withall (but are not you the obstinate despisers of the Instructions of the Lord who have neglected his work &c. and lives in the miscarriages wronging Christ and men &c? then expect to be so dealt withall in the first place your selves) for all this you say you will do to others, &c. whilst you are bewailing your own negligence in the work of God, and confessing your Miscarrigaes, and wrong by you done to God and men, and telling of the little effect which your ministry hath wrought, and of your peoples sleep in security, and being in sin unturned to God: and you had then to go a begging for your pardon, May 4. 1655.

[Page 20]And yet you being in the old birth and the fall, in the evil nature bringing forth such evill fruits, and whilst unpardoned, you frame your Image, resolves to go on, and states your time, layes your pe­nalty, and promise how you will deal with those that refuse to (wor­ship your Image, set up in your wills & the old nature) and will not sub­mit, you threaten to deal with them as obstinate refusers of Instructions, but is but such instructions as proceeds from your obstinate spirits, which hath kept you in the Miscarriages and neglect of the work of God, Luke 16.11, 15. Luke 12.45, 46, 27. Math. 25.41, 42. Matth. 7.21, 22, 23. &c. wronging both Men and his Son, and wants your pardon then, as you say, for the same: and I say you cannot tell whether the Lord in the first place will deal with you as obstinate refusers of his Instructions and cast you out as unjust stewards for both your obstinacy, negl [...]gence, and wrong done to men and to Christ his Son he hath good grounds to pro­ceed against you on, and needs little evidence from others: for your own mouths and tongues hath confessed the same, and it had been wisdom to had waited till the triall had been over; and to know whe­ther you should have a pardon or be cast out for what you in the rebelli­on of your hearts, (against the Light and Living truth of God, &c.) have already done: And to see how you should have been dealt withall your selves for the same, before you should have threatened what you would do to others, Rom. 2.5, 6, 8, 9. Rev. 14.9, 10, 11, Rev. 20.10, 13, 14, 15. that refuseth your Instruction. Remem­ber, That when you so said, you was not then in the counsel of the Liv­ing God, and therefore you spake it without the fear of God, rashly, out of a reprobate sence, presumtuously saying so, before your pardon for your high contempt, that wronged Men and Christ, &c. and knew not but that you might be condemned at the judgment seat, and cast out as reprobates and neglecters of the work of God, [and for your Miscarrariages &c.] into perdition and receive according to your deserts, and into the pit which for others you have digged you your selves to be cast and be tormented for, Joh. 16.13. Heb. 5.8, 9. at the last.

In page the 4. you set up your will-worships which you call Catechisme end personal familiar instruction not being then pardoned, nor knowing the Spirit of Christ to guide you [out of your Error, Heresie, Miscarri­ages, and Wrong by you done to men and to Christ, page 19. & to guide out of deceits & flatteries] into the truth, which spirit is for instruction, & to guide all that obey it you say that Catechisme & personal Instruction is for the killing of Ignorance, and quickning the understanding, and so puts that instead of the Spirit, Eph. 2.1. Col. 3. Rom. 8.13 14. 1 Joh. 5 20, Joh. 14.26. which is to Instruct and kill Ignorance, and quicken the understanding▪ by bringing the things of Christ to remembrance, as Christ hath said, Joh. 14.26. but wanting the Spirit you set up your personal and familiar Instruction to do it, as it ap­peares by page 21. you Intreat them there to come for some familiar con­ference and personal instruction, for the lesse they know and remember the more help they need; and you are there calling them to come to you that are untaught, to deny your Miscarriages, &c. And com­ing from the sprituall teaching to your personall Instruction they come from the true meanes and helps: and that is the cause why they do not profit, andy on set up your paper and personal Instruction instead of the [Page 21]spirit of truth, which is the guide into all truth; John 16.13. and the remembrancer also, killing Ignorance; and is the meanes that pre­vents and keeps from it, &c. but you say your Catechisme and familiar and personall Instruction is so (because you are Ignorant of the same) you say you observe that the younger, when they are once married, will come no more to be Catechised publiquely, and too many forget that which before they had learned, which this course you say may pre­vent but it hath not prevented you [the personall familliar structers] for running into miscarriages and doing wrong to others, neither doth it lead you out of it, who are therein, and without pardon for the same, &c. and is people so silly to think it will do it in them, your hearers, when it hath not yet done it in you their teachers, and wrongers, whereby you manifest your selves to be meer deluders, and also de­ceivers; though the blind see you not, yet are you seen and your wayes and windings with the true light are discovered, comprehended, and with the light, which you act contrary unto, Joh. 8, 12. stoh. 14.6. Joh. 15.6. Heb. 5.8, 9. Heb. 7.25. are you to be condemn­ed.

You say page 4. that Catechising and personall Instruction is the doctrin of salvation? You speak you know not what, and without understand­ing of the way of salvation, putting that in the rome of Christ who is the way to salvation, John 14.6. he is the way to the father? Then your Catechisme and familiar personall Instruction is not the way, for it is not Christ, and no man can come to the Father but by him, John 14.6. And he is perfctely able to save to the utmost all those that come unto God by him, Gal. 1.9, 10. Heb. 7.25. without your Catechisme or per­sonall and familiar Instruction: which is set up in your old evil and miscarrying nature, Prge, 19. and 29. who yet know not the way of salvation that are seting up a way of your own, and turning thereby people as much as in you lieth from Christ the true way: to walk in yours, who are curs­ed Children, neglecters of the work of God, and in your miscarriages, wanting your pardon for that and your wrong done to Christ and to men, &c. (when you so said) and then you set up your Image, and stayed your time, saying, you would set a convenient stated time for that work in your Parishes, telling people you will grant their de­sires, and examine some privatly, some openly, or as they please, and so manifest your selves to be men pleasers, and time-servers, when you will, and as you will to please people for your own ends; rather then lose your gain: and if their soules perish you will take their moneyes and meanes and tell them on their death bed, when you visit the sick, that you dare not speak a word of Comfort unto them; yet you dare take their money in their life time for your deceiving and dead dark, dry, barren and uncomfortable doctrine, and now that your preaching is found so useless you cry up your Catechisme and personal & familiar Instructions at a very high rate, saying it is that which life or death must depend upon ( page 10.) but what will it effect more then your preach­ing hath done? even leave people as they was: except in conceits higher, and grow into Ignorance of the power of truth and way of salvation [Page 22][for all that] when they have done, as they yet are, and also Ignorant of what you your solves have many years taught them, whose doctrin deceives their soules and deprives them of understanding the same. And if they perish in their Ignorance, are not you the cause of it? who sayes (in page 11.) you find by experience that the people understand not your publick preaching; though you study to speak as plain as you can: Isa. 55.2. Jer. 23.30, 31, 32. &c. but do you not take their money for the same, and so for that which is not bread, neither doth it profit their souls, and that after many years too; many you say can scarce tell any thing you have said: therefore you, and they may see how little they are benefited by you, and what little use your studied stuffe is of, and how uselesse that is which you study and invent in that old miscarrrying nature, which doth de­prive peoples understandings (of knowing the truth) and so keeps them in blindnesse and Ignorance of the onely true God. And therefore as you say in page 19. you are wrongers of Christ and of them, and may well fear that God will require their blood at your hands, who make it manifest that you have run unsent, and your ministry doth not profit the people at all? And how should it be otherwise being untaught your selves (to come out of your self-ends) but are in the negligence of the work of God, and the miscarriages, &c. ministring from the same spirit your fore-fathers [time servers and men pleasers] did, Jer. 23.1.16.20, 21, ver. it appeares by the Statute, of 25. H. 8. Cap. 21. The Pope cast out for his miscarriages and usurpation and beguiling the people, &c, that were not the servants of Christ, and now you are mainfest to be the unprofitable servants and ministry (for to be accounted or rendered vselesse as theirs is) or be holden accursed as it is said in Gal. 1.8, 9. 2 Cor. 16.22.

The Pope that had the rule amongst Tythes and such like things &c. [till Hen. 8.] here in England, was not he put out for his miscarri­ages, and after the Pope was put out by Hen. 8. did not then the Arch-Bishops bear rule [in his stead,] and set up Priests, Rectors and Curates, and did not they as you do [and all their Branches as Pre­lates, Episcopals, Priests, Rectors, and Curates, &c.] open their mouthes wide to speak first in their own cause and behalf, to cry up them­selves by the name of the Ministers of Christ, as you do? and did not they cry up their ministry and meanes as Jure divino, but they were discovered and made manifest that they was not so. And your fore-fa­thers the Arch-bishops, & Bishops &c. were found in Miscarriages, & was they not both wrongers of men and of Christ, and cut off, (or turned out) for their Miscarriages, &c? And by the late Parliment they were dis-annulled and rendered uselesse, and they are cryed down and their mouthes stopt (viz.) the Arch-Bishops and Bishops, &c. who cryed themselves up with as wide a mouth as you can do saying, they was the Ministers of Christ, (and Jure divino &c.) and were ready to call all hereticks, and the like, that dissented from them, and witnessed a­gainst their deceits: and how did they punish & afflict them for the same? And have not you learned to walk in their steps? And did not the Episco­pals, and Prelates, & those that were branches of the Bishops (as you are) [...]o as you do? and cryed up themselves by the name of the Ministers [Page 23]of Christ, and counted others Hereticks and were ready to rank them with Papists as you do? But was not the Prelates, and Episcopals, sound to be in the Miscarriages, and wrongers of God and Men as you are, and was not they cut off and turned out for their Miscarriages &c? And are not they silent and their mouths stopt and cryed down, though they were forward to cry up themselves as you do, and to call others Sectaries and Hereticks that are not so as you are, but though you now open your mouthes wide to cry up your selves, as your fore-fathers did, (being a bough or branch from them) yet with the Light you are now seen: and if they was cut off (or turned out) for their miscarri­ages and wrong done to Christ and to men; do you deserve to stand who are found in, and confessing the same? But when you have filled up your measures and comes by all to be seen in the same, must not you then descend, and turn back from whence you came and be as you are, men in miscarriages and neglecters of the great work of God, wronging men and Christ as you say, and your fruirs with your Agreement stands witnesse against you: but in patience let all that see your deceits possese their soules and praise God for the riches of his love that hath led them out of your miscarriages, and from under your mist or popish darknesse, into the pure and glorious light, and teaching of Christ, wherein they are growing in grace, Col. 2.3, 4, 5, 6. Eph. 3.17.18, 19, Col 2.7, 8, 9. Col 3.12, 13, 14 15. Ephe. 5.11, Rev. 3.9. being rooted and grounded in the true Gospel, soul-saving purifying faith, in which their soules are purify­ed, whose loves runs out unto the bretheren, from a pure heart, be­ing of the new birth, 1 Pet. 22.23. and denying your deceits and dead doctrin, who witnesse against the works of darknesse and all that which proceeds from your Miscarrying nature, and from the popish root and that spirit of deceit by which you wrong men and Christ, and are neglecters of his work, and without pardon for the same, &c. Rev. 14.9, 10, 11. Growing worse and runing yet further from God, as you also say.

And you say page 19, It astonished you many times, when you have occasion to talke with your hearers, page 19. to perceive that they know very little of the doctrin which you say you have been preaching to them so many yeares there? The people may take notice of the un­profitablenesse of your preaching and ministry, and that they have spent their money upon you for that which is no bread, and doth not after long time hearing and living under (little or) not at all profit them: Luke. 16, 15. but how should it profit Them, when it hath not taught You to come out of your miscarriages, and that cursed nature from which your wrong to Christ and men doth proceed, in which wrongfull and miscarrying, nature your ministry stands, and therefore is not like to profit the peo­ple. But you speak in your own behalf, as self justifyers, Pharisies, false Prophets, and Hypocrits use to do: and you say you know that they must understand it or perish; & yet though they have made use of you, and spend their time and money upon you, you have not, nor doth not bring them to understand it: and then with you their miscarrying and un­taught teachers, them to understand it: and then with you their miscarrying and un­taught teachers, they (accordingly as you say) are like to perish, yet [Page 24]you cry up your own way at a very high rate for your own ends, and sets the price of a perishing condition without the understanding of [your brain Imaginations, which you call] your preachings [or your humane Inventions] and poor people your hearers, &c. that after they have spent their labour and meanes or money upon you this many years, yet want their understanding, and benefit from you: therefore it is high time for them to cease from you and hearken to the light of Christ in their conscience, that calls to repentance that it they may o­bey and thereby come into the teaching of God, Isa. 54.13. Joh. 6.46. which causeth all to profit, 1 Cor. 12.7. that obey the true light and follow the same, Ioh. 8.11. Heb. 5.8, 9.

But people have many yeares heard you and are yet little (or nothing at all as you say) benefited by you, for they remain yet in Ignorance &c. you say, and are like to do so for you, I say: Whose ministry stands in your wills, and not in the will of God, and can alter and change as times and mens wills alter and change, but now that you see your ministry doth not kill Ignorance, &c. you are using the same meanes which your fore-fathers did, to do it, but left undone: and is found with you in the Error, Heresies, and Miscarriages, but you say that Catecthisme and per­sonall Instruction is a great meanes to overcome that killing Ignorance, &c. page 9. If so, how was it that the same meanes viz. per­sonall Catechizing and familiar Instruction from the same spirit, that led into miscarriages and to wrong men and Christ as you do, did not kill that killing Ignorance in the time of the Pope, Prelates, Episco­palls, and old out-cast (or) rooted out Bishops, whose branches from that body (are you)? and did not they set people on the same work, and to use the same meanes as you do? (which did not kill it, &c.) they set them to get the Creed as you call it, and the same Creed as you do, and the Lords prayer, ten Commandements, and those Cate­chismes which they as well as you call Orthodox Catechismes, and their old Expositers as you do, and yet the killing Ignorance is unkilled amongst you their off-spring, that growes a little more into subtilty, and gets words to talk of, and sets people to get a few words, by you [summed together to talk of] but are out of the life of them: and are in pride, coveteousnesse, vain glory, self conceitednesse, Error and Heresies, persecution and commiting abomination in as high a degree as your fore-fathers did, though under a refined subtilty, who pretends much in words, but brings forth the same evil fruits from the same old birth, and evil Spirit as they [and such did] that drew neer to God, Isa. 29.10.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Isa. 59.23, 4. &c. with their mouthes, and lips, when their hearts were farr from him: and devising mischief, and bringing forth cruelty, and wicked­nesse like you, and your hearers that are asleep or in the sleepy secu­rity, and in Ignorance, in sin unturned to God, and you their teachers neg­lecters of the work of God and in the miscarriages, wrongers of them and of Christ, as you say; and yet, in your self commendation, you are not ashamed to call your selves the Lords labourers, when you are wrongers of him and the people; and neglecters of his work, also liv­ing [Page 25]in the miscarriages: and where you tell of a land of light, and a garden; you are found to be out of both, and in darknesse, and the field of wickednesse, in whose hearts the miscarriages and weeds grows: and where you say, The Lord hath not dealt so with every Nation? I say, Mark. 7.21.22▪22. Rom. 1.28, 29▪ &c. not so much yet: as to discover to the inhabitants their teachers abominations and miscarriages, and cause their own mouthes to utter, and their pens to write the same against themselves, and their fruits to confirme it, as in this Nation you and yours doth, and hath done, which is but the fore-runners or first discovered, and so much made manifest before other Na­tions, who have not yet heard and seene what we have done. Most of the world you say, page the 17. do lie in the darknesse of, Heathernisme, Idolatry, Infidelitie, and Mahometanisme; and too much of Christen­dome in the darknesse of Popery and Heresie. True all the world lieth in wickednesse I say, and so saith the Scriptures I Joh. 5.19. but we know that we are of God, and you (in that wickednesse and Popish dark­nesse) that are in the miscarriages are of the world, &c. And what can Heathenisme, Idolatry, Infidelity, Mahometanisme, Popery, and Here­sie, (though by pretended Christians) bring forth more against the ho­nour of God, &c. then to live in the miscarriages, keep alive in killing ig­norance, wronging both men and Christ, and neglect the work of God, according to his word, &c. growing worse and yet run further from God (as you do) and if Papists, Idolaters, Infidels, Mahometans, and Here­tiques can bring forth nothing more against the honour of God, (and destruction of souls) then to live in killing ignorance unkilled, and in miscarriages unpardoned, and in sin unturned to God, in sleepie secu­rity, wronging both God and men, and neglecting the work of God ac­cording to his word, growing worse and running yet further from God: then you and your hearers are found in the same, and so agreeing in that old nature from whence ariseth negligence, miscarriages, Idolatry; Po­perie, Infidelity, Heathenisme, and Mahometanisme, Heresie, &c. and being out of the new birth in the old, & guided by that nature and Spirit, do you not with Heathens, Popes, Turks, Heretiques, and Infidels agree in the maine for they can but live in the miscarriages, asleep in security, works of darknesse, in sin unturned to God, & in killing ignorance unkill­ed, neglecting the work of God according to his word, to wrong Christ & men, growing worse and running futther from God, which you and your hearers are found in, and doth the same as your fruits and book (called Agreement) doth against you stand witnesse, &c. and here (by your fruits spirits and your words) you are left amongst your own (with infidels, idolaters, Popes, Turks, and Heretiques) that are of the old birth and wicked seed, out of the way of salvation, neglecting Gods work, and persecuting or doing the work of the Devill, in a high mea­sure, amounted so high as to turne wrongers of Christ and of men, and so are deceivers of souls, and therefore instead of a pardon, expect judg­ment & greater condemnation, like such, Mark. 12.38.39.40. & Math. 23.31.32, 33. &c. Behold! are you not left desolate, being shut out of Christs Ministry, and from amongst Christians, and are in the nature of Popes, [Page 26]Papists, Idolaters, Infidels, Heretiques, and the Mahometans, &c. that are upon the same evill root, living on the evill tree, and bring­ing forth the evill fruit, though you differ in some words and Coloura­ble Glosses, Math. 7.15.16.17.18.16.20. Isa. 29.14.15.16. you are of the cursed root, and beares that fruit that is a [...] ­cursed, and can deceive none but the deceived, such as are of that evill seed, bearing evill fruit, who are strangers to the new birth, and without the true knowledge of the living God, and now your vizors or covers are too narrow, and all your garnishing and Colourable Glosses will not maske nor hide you, Act 20.28.33.34. ver. Act 26, 26. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.7. 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3. 2 Cor. 6.3.4 5.6. but leaves you naked and bare; In that which you call your Warrant; you say, the Holy-Ghost made you overseers, &c. but you have proved your selves liers, for the Holy-Ghost makes those o­verseers that do not neglect the work of God, and such as are out of mis­carriages, that shun not to declare the Counsel of God freely, and co­vets no mans Silver nor Gold, who are not persecuters nor wrongers of God, but such as are blamelesse as the stewards of God, &c. Tit. 1.7. But you that are wrongers of men and of Christ, and neglecters of the work of God (according to his word) growing worse, and running yet further from God, 2 Cor. 41.2. 2 Tim. 3.10, 11.12.13.16.17. 1 Th [...]s. 4.7. you never were made overseers by the Holy-Ghost, & therefore you have lied of or against the Holy Ghost, & so are liers against God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for in page. 3.4. you tell of your unfaith­fulnesse or negligence, and are bewaileing the same, as you say, and wanting a pardon, and yet you confute your selves in uttering your lies, for your own ends, where you are seeking your praise in that, called your Exhortation, &c. page 17.18.19. &c. Saying, it hath pleased the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into this part of his Harvest, though you confesse too weake and imperfect, yet more numerous, and faithfull, and diligent, then most of his Churches elsewhere, proportionably can show. That God hath sent forth labourers into his Harvest, is true; and they are strengthened by him to labour against your deceipt, and they are both diligent and faithfull in his work, who neither wrong Christ nor men: but if you meane that you are those labourers or would have people to believe that you are; your own words and fruits do witnesse a­gainst you, that you ave not labourers in the Lords Harvest, nor sent by him, that are neglecters of his worke; and in miscarriages not pardoned for the same, and then not sent: neither are you faithfull and diligent, that are in the miscarriages, and negligent, your own words are your con­tradictions, and selfe confutations, and if ignorance be the cause that thousands perish; if your people perish, are not you the cause of it? that hath your people in such ignorance; that though they can talk under­standingly about the matters of the world, yet they can scarce speake a word of sence about the matters of salvation as you say, ( page 19.) and upon the experience of their ignorance, you have been b [...]ought to consi­der of your negligence, and to know how you have wronged Christ and them, in feare least God should require their blood at your hands: though you would put off with flatteries and excuses; be sure the Lord will call you to a swer before his judgment seate for it; your triall is not yet past: and your pardon you have not, and where you say he hath [Page 27]wonderfully dispelled (or expelled) the mists of Popery: I answer yea that he hath, and therefore those that dwell in his light sees you in those mists undispelled, that are such deceivers and wrongers of men and of Christ, page 18.19. and you say many of Gods servants have laid down their lives in flames in witnesse against it, I answer so they have; but what is that to you that are in the miscarriages and wronging Christ and men, growing worse and running (as you say) yet further from God, &c. who are casting or causing to be cast into Prison, and persecuting the Lords faithfull witnesses, that are sent to witnesse against your deceipts, and gaainst all the Popish mists of darknesse, in which mists and dark­nesse are such as are wrongers of God and men, in the heresis and mis­carriages as you are, who being in that mist of darknesse and the mis­carrying nature, which hath taught you to lie against God and his work ( page 18.) saying, he writes his law in the hearts of his living witnesses imperfectly. I say you are ignorant of the living witnesses; being your selves dead branches and persecuters of his living witnesses, as the filling of your Prisons & cruell usage at worcester, Evesham, Banbury, Oxford, Northampton, and other places may witnesse, which persecution and cruelty (proceeds from that Popish mist, or the miscarring nature) being works of darkness and are reproved by us Ephesians, 5.11. and as you have showed your ig­norance of the living witnesses in whose hearts the law of God is written, so have you showed that you are ignorant of the writeing of the law in the heart, and ignorant of the law written therein, that accounteth the work of God an imperfect worke, and accounteth God to be an im­perfect writer of the law in the heart. If he have written his law in the heart of his living witnesses imperfectly as you say, who must perfect it? would not you be the perfecters of it? or make people beleive in you to do it, who are the transgressers of it, being in the miscarriages grow­ing worse, &c. And, as you say you are wrongers of men and of Christ; so are you wrongers of God himselfe, that calls his work an imperfect work, and accounts God himselfe to be an imperfect worker, and to do his work imperfectly; when he is a perfect worker and his works are perfect, and so doth he write his law perfectly in the hearts of his faithfull living witnesses, as both they and the Scripture beare a true testimony, though yours be false and not true (therein). And here I charge you (42 Priests Teachers, Pastours, Ministers, Rectors,) in the presence of the Lord to be false witnesses, and lyers against God and his work, and his law which he writes perfectly in the hearts of his living witnesses, as the Scrip­ture witnesseth, Jer. 31.33. Heb. 8.10.11. The Lord is a perfect worker, and his law is perfect, so doth he write it perfectly, to do its work: Give eare ô ye Heavens and I will speak saith the Lord God (whose words witnesseth against you, and all false witnesses that are knowne by your false testimony, therefore saith he) heare ô earth the words of my mouth. Deut. 32.1.2 my doctrine shall drop as the raine, my speech shall distill as the dew, as the smal raine upon the tender hearbs, and as the showers upon the grasse, because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatnesse unto our God, He is the Rock, his work is perfect, Deut. [Page 28]32.34. As for God, his way and work is perfect, the word of the Lord is tried, he is a buckler to all those that trust in him: for who is God save the Lord, or who is the Rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, faith David, and maketh my way perfect, Psa. 18.30, 31, 32. And this the living witnesses, in whose hearts the law of God were per­fectly written, witnesseth, against you 42 false witnesses, that saith It is imperfect; but your folly is made manifest (as well as your false testi­mony) in your Agreement.

But this is but like thy former writing, Richard Baxter (in that deceit­full booke of thine which James Nayler answered in print, as I did in writing, and sent to have come to thee, before I knew of the printing of thine, or James his answer to that called the Quakers Catechisme) where­in thy deceipt was (to some purpose) made manifest, in which thou pour­ed forth the venome and filth out of thy old bottle: And did'st thou not say that when (such as you) the Ministers were overtaken with a lazie fit they could preach without study, as well as a woman fit for the gumble stoole: and hath not the lazie fit overtaken thee, and you 42 Ministers, that you have declared your lazinesse or negligence, and preached in your Agreement (or therein declared) your ignorance of God and the truth, and of the law in the heart, perfectly written in the heart, by the true and perfect writer of the same, in his faithfull witnesses, who beares testimony against your deceipts and filthinesse, which you daylie make manifest, who (as you say) grow worse, and are running yet further from God.

You say in your Agreement, page 26. that repentance is a through turning from the flesh and the world to God, &c. then they that through­ly turne from the flesh and the world to God, they turne out of imper­fection unto perfection: and art not thou here in words become a Prea­cher of that which thou Richard Baxter in thy book called the Quakers Catechisme, there, called the doctrine of the Devil, for thou called the doctrine of perfection in that booke the doctrine of the Devil: and here, in thy agreement thou Acknowledged covertly that which thou therein denied openly, and saith in that called your Warrant that you are to present every man perfect, &c: And if it was the Devils doctrine to preach perfection; and the Papists dung to feed on, as therein (to wit the booke called the Quakers Catechisme) thou said it was: Then art not thou either denying in your agreement, what in the other thou asserted, and so art thy own confuter and selfe contradicter; or else if thou do not so, dost not thou now preach that which thou therein said, the Devill bred, Christ detested, and none that had any sparke of true grace ever believed or received. And besides, doest not thou indeavour to feed peo­ple with it which thou therein called the papists dung? Consider well of it, and where thou said in thy scorne, when you have rubbed your eyes give us leave to smell the Pope in your endeavours; but now behold thou thy folly, and that Popish mist or darknesse, which thou art in, how it hath blinded thy mind, and led thee into selfe contradictions; and to manifest the mote thy confusion who art speaking thou knows not what, [Page 29]but by imagination that art not yet to repentance come, and therefore art very unfit to preach Repentance or Perfection either: for if repentance be (as thou says and the 41 more in consent and approbation with thee) in that Agreement (viz) a through-turning from the flesh and the world to God, page 26. then you are not yet come to repentance, that are not throughly turned from the world, & the flesh unto God, but are in the world & the sleshin the miscariages & negligence, page 3. & 4. & wrongers of men & of Christ, page 19. There­fore behold your folly made manifest, 2 Tim. 3.8.9. who say you grow worse and so it appeares (and that you are in confusion) and that is a cleare Character to know evil men and seducers by, as the Scripture saith; for they shall grow worse and worse, 2 Tim. 3, 13.

And remember, Richard Baxter, in thy book of slander called the Qua­kers Catechisme thou didst not onely slander us and all the Saints and servants of God and Ministers of the Gospel (to prove thy selfe to be none of them) but thou also slandered God himself, and Christ his Son: as well as in thy Agreement thou saies thou have wronged both Christ: and men, and yet continues therein (growing worse and running on) a though thou use words of flatteries to make Colourable Glosses for thy own ends, yet art thou comprehended and seen, as in thy other thou was▪ who wronged God and Christ, and all the Saints and Ministers of the everlasting truth and Gospel of God, (showing thy selfe to be ignorant of them, &c:) for thou said the doctrine of perfection was bred by the Devill, thou believed: and here thou art reprobate concerning the faith that stands in the power; where thy entising words are shut out and all the deceivers: for God himselfe bred or brought forth first that doctrine of perfection, and not the Devil as thou hast said. And here Richard Baxter I charge thee in the presence of God to be a false witnesse against the e­ternall truth, and also to be a slanderer of the truth, and art against God himselfe, who first preached that doctrine of perfection, viz. the do­ctrine of sinlesse perfection, and said to Abraham when he appeared to him at the age of 99. yeares, or when Abraham was 99. yeares old, and preached the doctrine of perfection unto him, when he promised to make a covenant with him, and multiply him exceedingly: he said unto him at that appearance and in his doctrine, I am the Almighty God walke before me and be thou perfect, Gen. 17.1.

But Abraham did not crosse the doctrine of perfection preached by the Almighty God, (at 99. yeares old) and say, he could not be perfect; as ma­ny of the Priests disciples and such in the old nature of miscarriages (like you) do now, that say you cannot be perfect (though God and Christ com­manded it) neither did Abraham say that the doctrine of perfection was a doctrine of the Devill, or first bred by him as thou Richard Baxter hath said (in the booke called the Quakers Catechisme) but art without proof for the same; Genc. 17.1. Math. 5.48. and hast thou not called the doctrine of Almighty God the doctrine of the Devil? and besides hast thou not called the Almigh­ty God (a Devil) as the Jewes, cheife Preists, and such in thy nature called Christ a Belzebub or Prince of Devils, in that wicked slander of [Page 30]thine? where thou said thou believed the doctrine of perfection was first bred by the Devill, Joh. 8.48, 49.50, 51, 52, 53. Mark 3.22. when it was first bred or brought forth and preached by the Almighty God himselfe: and how wilt thou cleare thy selfe from the sin against the Holy-Ghost, who art not a wronger of men only, but of God and Christ, also? and now hath in thy Agreement with the 42. Priests, Ministers, Pastors, Teachers, and Rectors, (under a cover ap­peared and) confessed the same, to wit, thy wrong to Christ and to men, and so to God himself, and is here made manifest, &c. And you say, you are growing worse and running yet further from God: then you do not amend, but beares the marks of evill men; and seducers (as the Scrip­ture saith) which shall wax worse, and worse deceiving and being deceived, 2 Tim. 3.13. as may be read, 2 Tim. 3.13. so fulfilling the Scripture therein.

And againe, that doctrine of perfection was preached (but not bred by the Devill as thou saies) where it is given forth by command saying, Thou shalt be perfect, with the Lord thy God, Deuter. 18.13. And, the way of the Lord is perfect, Psalm. 18.30. his law is perfect, Psalm. 19.7. his work is perfect, Deut. 32. and God himselfe was the Preacher of the doctrine of perfection, Gen. 17.1. and also did command it, Deut. 18.13. then it was neither the breeding and bringing forth of the Devill: nor the Pa­pists dung (as thou, Richard Baxter, hath said) except thou would dare to call the Almighty God by the name of the Devil, and his truth and doctrine (by him brought forth preached and commanded to be walked in) by the name of the Papists dung: Jam. 2.7. and if so, then behold thy blasphe­mie, as well as the Popish mist of darknesse which thou art in, to wrong God himselfe and both Christ and men.

And as thou said in that booke called the Quakers Catechisme, thou believed the doctrine of perfection was bred by the Devil the greatest sin­ner, and detested by Christ, and never beleived in heartily by any man that knew himself, or had any sparke of true grace or Christian ex­perience, &c. page 24. Here thou hast done wrong to Christ and the Saints, and to the Ministers of the everlasting truth, and Gospel of salva­tion, and thy sayings as aforesaid agreeth against thee, with thy false confession, wherein thy lies are fastened upon thee, and thou art con­firming them in that Agreement of you 42. Preists, Ministers, Pastours, Teachers and Rectors, wherein you say you are in the miscarriages un­pardoned, page the 4. and wrongers of Christ and men, page the 19. and therefore growing worse, and running yet further from God, it is no mar­vaile that you preach against the doctrine of perfection, which is the doctrine of the Father and the Son.

For as God himself preached the doctrine of perfection, and said to Abraham, Walk before me and be thou perfect, and said to the Children of Israel, Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God, Christ himself did did not detest it, (as thou says he did) for he was so far from detesting it that he highly approved of it viz. the doctrine of perfection, and when he was upon the mount, he so far shewed his love, estimation, and true ap­probation of it that he ( viz. Christ himself) did preach the same and [Page 31]gave it forth by command upon the Mount to his Disciples, saying, Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect: Math. 5.48.

And here thou hast wronged Christ and lyed against him, saying, he detested it: thou blind guide, and false accuser of the truth; behold thy absurdity! If Christ had detested the doctrine of perfection as thou sayes, wouldest not thou have had him to have gone against the command of the Father? and to have detested his own doctrine? but none will be­lieve thee, except the willfull blind, and such as are wrapt up in de­ceipt with thee, and hereby instead of ministring, and maintaining the truth, thou hast both ministred and maintained lies, slanders, and de­ceits, and wronged Christ: therefore art thou no Minister of his.

And if the Devill should have bred the doctrine of perfection, would not he have bred a doctrine against himselfe, to have rooted out his own Kingdom? But are not you and the Devils disciples so much against that doctrine that you labour with all your skill to preach it out; Gen. 17.1. Math. 5.48. Joh. 14.20. 2 Joh. 9. Joh. 14.15. 1 Joh. 5.3, 4. 1 Joh. 2.3, 4.5.6. Joh. 14.23.24. and keep it for taking place in the peoples hearts? and is there any that are against the doctrine of perfection (which is the doctrine of the Fa­ther and the Son) but such as are against the Father and the Son, and as you are, who are wrongers of Christ and men; and do not all those that deny the doctrine of perfection, deny the doctrine both of God and Christ and so are neither Gospel-Ministers, nor true Christians; seeing they both do command it: and he that loves Christ, keepeth his command, but such as love him not keepeth not his command, and so are out of his doctrine, and without God, 2 Joh. 9. in the iniquity and selfe separati­on, and in sin unturned yet to God, Isa. 59.1, 2. and yet in the Here­sies, Errors, and Miscarriages, in the killing ignorance unkilled, filthy dreamers that defile the flesh, or in the sleep of security, wronging Christ and men, as in your Agreement you confesse you do, and says you grow worse and are running yet further from God: and so it ap­peares.

And as thou, Richard Baxter, ministers against the Father and the Son, and hast wronged them; so hast thou wronged the servants of God, and Ministers of Christ, and all the Saints and Sons of God: saying the De­vill thou beleives bred the doctrine of perfection, & saying Christ detested it, when God Almighty bred or brought forth the same, and both he himselfe and Christ his Son, did not only bring it forth and preach it; but commanded it to be obeyed and walked in: and thou says thou beleives that none that had any sparke of true grace did hartily beleive in or re­ceive the same: and so hereby with thy false doctrine or reprobate faith thou would exclude all from grace that received the doctrine of perfecti­on, viz. the doctrine of God and Christ; and so the doctrine of the Fa­ther and the Son: but let me tell thee, that such as doth not transgresse but abide in the doctrine of Christ they had and have grace, for they had both the Father and the Son, eternall life, and the holy unction abiding in them; and this the Scripture with me doth stand a witnesse against thee and thy lyes, false doctrines and deceipts, and let those that please [Page 32]read 2 John▪ 9. 1 John 2.20, 27. 1 John 5.10, 11, 12. and 20. verses. to be witnesse for them that had grace (and received the same) a­gainst thy false testimony and lying Spirit by which thou art acted and guided.

Also several of the servants of God received the fathers doctrin in the time of old, viz. the doctrin of perfection and walked in it, and wouldest thou exclude them all from grace? What a devilish doctrin is thine, and crosse unto the Scriptures, and contrary to the true Gospel mi­nisters? Therefore is both it and thee that brings it for to be holden accursed. Gal. 1.8, 9.

Noah was not without grace, and he received the doctrin of God the Father, and were accounted perfect in his generation: who found grace in the eyes of the Lord: and being a Just and a perfect man he received the doctrin of the Father: and walked with God, Gen. 6.8, 9. Abraham was not without grace, and he received the doctrin of per­fection, taught him by God almighty: when he appeared to him when he was 99. years old, &c. And God blessed him, and made a covenant with him, Gen. 17.1. Gen. 6.18. &c. Iob 1.8. Heb. 13.20, 21. as he did with Noah: and they both had experi­ence of his goodnes, and found favor in the eyes of the Lord: Iob 1.8. was not without grace, and he were accounted a perfect and an upright man, being one that feared God and eschewed evil, as the Lord hath said. King Hezekiah was not without grace, and experience of the Lords goodnes who walked before him in truth and with a perfect heart, and did that which was good in his sight, 2 Kings 20.3. And David that said, Marke the perfect man, for the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. was not without grace, and he exhorted or rather commanded his▪ Son Solomon to serve the Lord with a perfect heart: 1 Chron. 28.8, 9. And, as David said, The way of God was (and is) perfect, Psal. 18.30; So Solomon saith that the path of the Just is as a shining light, that shin­eth more and more unto the perfect day, and they are not without grace that walk therein: Pro. 4.18.

Christ, the way to the Father, Joh. 14.6. and to salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5.8, 9. he commands to be perfect, Math. 5.48. And his command ought to obeyed: his ministry is to lead to a perfect man, Eph. 4.12, 13. The ministers of the Gospel preached wisdom amongst them that were perfect, 1 Cor. 2.6. And as many as are perfect be thus minded Phil. 3. [...]5. that the man of God may be perfect, 2 Tim. 3.17. to presse o­thers on to perfection Heb. 6.1. that they may attain Heb. 12.22, 23. And the God of peace make you perfect, saith the minister of the Gospel to them he ministred unto, and exhorted to go on unto, it. And another of the Gospel ministers said to them he ministred unto, The God of grace make you perfect, 1 Pet, 5.10. Go on to perfection, Heb. 6. finally my brethren farewell, and be perfect, 2 Cor. 13.11, saith the Embassad or of Christ, Having these promises cleanse your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and of Spirit, perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord. And Christ prayed to his Father for those that were given to him that they might be made perfect in one, Joh. 17.23. And all these had grace and Christian experience, that both received the [Page 33]doctrin of perfection, and walked in it: and some preaching it, and some pressing after it, and some attaining it; their words and fruits and the Spirit by which they were guided, [who had grace, and Christian experience, with such as received the doctrin of the Father and the Son having grace and abiding therein] doth witnesse against thee Richard Baxter, and thy false doctrin, who garnisheth thy self with their words and calls them thy Warrant from God, when thou and you 42. Priests are without their life and not in their practice, but are in your miscarri­ages, wronging others, and growing worse, &c. Therefore are you without your warrant from God, and are none of Christs ministers, but enemies of the truth, and are against the doctrin of the Lord Je­sus, but you are made manifest and your deceit and false doctrin is denyed by the Children of Light, and in and with it, you are reproved and against testified.

You say you receive the publike maintenance to this end, that you may be enabled to lay out your endeavours for the good of the whole parishes from which you do receive it, &c. page 13. of your Agree­ment.

But have you not made it manifest, to have received the publick maintenance of your parishes & whom you receive it for your evil endea­vours, that are men of miscarriages unpardoned, growing worse and run­ing further from God, whose work is by you neglected according to your own sayings: and your people understanding little you have said (or many yeares preached to them) who can scarse (as you say) speak a word of sence concerning the matters of their salvation and here you are witnesses against them for their Ignorance, &c. as: well as you are witnesses against your selves for your miscarriages and wrong done to Christ & them: and is not your negligence one chief cause of their Igno­rance, and Ignorance the cause of destruction, and for runner of e­ternall perdition? who say you have wronged Christ and them, page 19. Therefore may it not be concluded from your own confession, that you are a chiefe cause of souls destruction: and by your confusion have you not run into self-contradictions, and makes it manifest, that you take the publike maintenance of your parishes, not for good en­deavours but, for your miscarriages, and so for evil endeavors; who hath not profited the people that are so Ignorant of the work of God and their soules good, that they can scarce speak a word of sence in matters of salvation, as you say, and you are the wrongers of them and of God according to your own sayings, and so deceives souls for your own ends: but the Lord hath shaken his hand against your dishonest gain: and such as through covetousnesse maketh merchandize of people: Ezek. 22.12, 23. your Judgment of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slum­bereth not that (with you) are such: as you may read: 2 Pet. 2.3, 13▪ 14, 15.

But let me aske you, From whence you and those that pretend them­selves ministers of the Gospel, who receives Tythes or Hundreds a yeare &c. tooke their first example? and by whom to receive Tythes, by [Page 34]compulsion, and that which they and you call their publick mainte­nance, &c. had you your example so to do from the practice of the A­postles of Christ, Observe, Though Priests was very scant after the (rot or) pestilence spoken of, in the time of Edw. 3. yet then the parish Priests, was not by any manner of co­lour to receive above 6. marks wages by the yeare (without the Bishops dis­pesnation and suspension &) & the pain of people of holy Church so call­ed giving above 5. or 6. Marks wages a year to a Parish Priest, they was to pay the doubble of that which they gave more to a­ny parish priest then 5. or 6. Marks wages in the yeare: and it was to be converted to the use of Almes at the arbitrement of the Diocesan, &c, Anno. 36. Ed. 3. Chap. 8. or from the constitution and decretall epistle of the Pope &c. For the ministers of Christ, had no command to take Tythes nor hundreds a yeare for preaching the Gospel, but freely they receiv­ed and freely they gave according to Christs command.

And I read in the law of England, that Tythes after the Apostles time were free: for the people was not bound to pay them so farr as I see, till the Councell of Lateran in Pope Innocents time: and then by his constitution and decretall epistle, &c. the Tythes, it seems, became bound, &c. and were to be paid by the subjects of the Realm: and so came Parochiall rights, (as they call them) &c. to the Priests or Patrons of the Churches, so called: Then it is cleare to me that you have your ground to take Tythes and maintenance of the World, for preaching: &c. not from the Apostles practice and or­der, but from the Popes, &c. And that mist of Popish darknesse is not so farr dispelled (or expelled) from you, as to cause you to for­sake the Popes Constitutions: or your Tythes and maisteries and follow the example of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ; and to leave your Miscarriages, great parsonages: and give over wronging God and men for your own ends, and to deny your selves and your preaching for filthy lucre, and cease bearing rule by your meanes: And if any of you receive the word and command from God, become servant to all and minister freely as the ministers of the Gospel (who dwelt & dwell in the Light) do & afore-time did: but before you do so, you must turn from the broad way, where the Lust, Pride, Pompe, Covetousnesse, earthly-mindednesse, and vain glory of the world hath so much liberty in you: and cease persecution, take up the crosse to your wills: Learn to know the bridle for your tongues: And let the Issue of lyes, and slanders be stopped, &c. that the stone may be set upon the neck and head of deceit.

Cook in his second part Institutes saith, Before the Councell of Hate­ran, Tythes were free or (then) any man might have given his Tythes to what spirituall person he would, and it was provided at the Councell (of Laterean) &c. that Tythes &c. should be given to the Rector or Parson of the parish, &c. (under pretence) that he that gave spiritual food should reap temporal, so farr as I gather: see Cookes second part Institute about fol. 641. Here the Popes and their Priests, Rectors, &c. it seemes (like you) they could call themselves spirituall men and Ministers, Rectors, &c. as you do, and they claim­ed or took Tythes and publick maintenance under pretence of Ministring spirituall things as (you and) their off spring from that succession now do, when they was carnally minded, &c. as you are.

And Tythes by a decretall epistle of Pope Innocent the 3. dated at Lateran directed to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, &c. in or about the yeare 1200. It is said by Cook that then Tythes became lex terrae and the subject, became bound to pay them &c. Cook saiths that of [Page 35]Antient time before a new Constitution made by the Pope, the patron of one Church might grant his Tythes to another parish: and saith Cook, second part Institutes, thus began portion of Tythes, that the parson of one parish hath in another: vide Concilium Leteran. Anno Domini 12 15.17. of Jo. regis.

So that Tythes it seems were free for any man to give &c. till the time of Pope Innocent▪ and were they not then divided into portions to the Priests, and Rectors, &c. from Pope Innocent the 3? For since, saith Cook, that which is called parochiall right of Tythes were established, &c. And Pope Innocent by his Bull discharged those of the order of Praemonstratenses of the payment of Tythes of such lands as were of their own manurance, or other Improvement: and Pope Adrian the 4. said, all Orders should pay tythes, &c. And so it ap­peares, Tythes sprang up the second time by one Pope: and so from one to another: and did not they spring from the Popes to the Bishops, Rectors, and those parish Priests: Consider well of it, and see if you know your succession. And had not the Popes the ordering and rule amongst Tythes, and other things, till the time of King Henry, 2 Hen. 4.28. Hen. 8. Chap. 16, for saith Cook by the statute of Henry 4. not only Cisterciences but all o­ther religious and seculars, which put any of the Popes bulls in execu­tion for discharge of Tythes of their lands, in the hands of their far­mers, should be in danger of a praemunire, as saith Cook second part In­stitures.

And by the statute of the 28. of Henry the 8. Chap. 16. saith Cook there it is Enacted that all Bulls, Brieffes, Faculties, Dispensations, of what names natures or qualities whatsoever they be of, had or ob­tained from the (Pope or) Bishop of Rome or any of his predecess­ors, or by authority of the See of Rome, &c. should from thence forth by that Act be clearly void, and never after that, to be used ad­mitted or pleaded, in any places, or Courts of this Realm (as they had been, &c.) or any other the Kings Dominions upon pain contain­ed in the statute of praemunire, &c. See Cookes second part Institute Fol. 641. and 652. &c.

And doth it not appeare hereby, that the Pope, &c. (that had begot Tythes by his constitution, to be distributed into parishes by his decretall epistle, and councell, &c.) were himself thrust out of those Parochiall rights of tythes, (as he called them) which he had begot and by his constitution, and councell brought forth, &c. And as the Pope was thrust out of Tythes &c. in England, did not the Bi­shops, Priests, Pastors, Teachers, Rectors, &c. their off-spring from that root enter in their stead, and was not they let into the same? And being grafted or let in, did not they take the Popes places, and rewards, at the hands of him that disinherited them, ( viz the Popes &c.)? Consider and see where you are: And was not the Bishops, Priest, Pastors, Teachers, and Rectors, &c. adorned or endowed (by Hen. the 8, &c.) with honours and possessions (or with the Popes orna­ments) viz. Tythes, oblations, obventions, &c. And was they not [Page 36]said to be given to God and holy Church, &c. and to keep them from corruption and sinister affection, &c. 24. of Henry the 8.12. Cap.

And seeing that Tythes &c. by the lawes and statutes of this Nation, were (said to be) given to God and holy Church, &c. And being that both by God & the holy Church Tythes are denied as the Scripture under the Gospel dispensation doth witnesse; And seeing that the called Church of England the body spirituall as they call it and by them called the spirituality, who receive Tythes, are now found to be unholy, and not being free from corruption (but pleads for sin and so for corrption for tearm of life, &c.) and sinister affection; and stands in need of (the worlds) honours, and possessions to keep them (which rather corupts them the more, and cannot nor doth not keep them) from corruption and sinister affection, for which end they ( viz. Tythes &c.) are said to be given, as by the statute of Henry the 8. it appeareth: therefore by the lawes and statutes of England (it is cleare to me that) the called Priests, Ministers, Preachers, Rectors, &c. (which names you bear) who are unholy and corrupt, &c. have no right to Tythes, &c. for by the lawes of the Nation, they are said to be giv­en to holy Church, &c. and you are unholy▪ that are in miscar­riages, and neglecters of the great work of God (as you say): and are mongers both of men and of Christ, growing worse and running yet further from God, therefore you are unholy and corrupt, (and are not running for God, that runnes further from him as you say): and so are cut out of Tythes, & his ministry by your own rule and confessi­ons, &c. And now stop your mouthes and do not cry up your selves to be ministers of Christ and neither pleade for old Levi his right that neglects his work? Nor for any of the Saints priviledges? (Nor for Tythes from the law of the land) till you come out of Miscarriages, and give over wronging Christ and men, and become holy, free from corrupti­on and sinister affection, 2 Tim. 3.11, 12. Heb. 11.36, 37, 38. &c. And as you come off from the old rotten root, and out of the old nature and be born again, &c. when you are made Christs Ministers, you will deny your Tythes, and mai­steries, and be content with what he sees meet for you: and instead of persecuting be persecuted: and suffer of the world, and that generation which you are yet in union with, as the Ministers of Christ do now: and aforetime did. Whose approbation &c. was not of the men of the world, but of God 2 Cor. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 2. Cor. 11.23, 24, 25. &c.

And as you are neglecters of the work of God, page 3. and your selves in the Miscarriages unpardoned, page 4. your hearers can scarce speake a word of sence about the matters of salvation, 1. Thes. 1.1. 1 Thes, 1.1▪ and you are wrongers both of them and of Christ, page 19. So you say there are many untaught Chil­dren and families, page 29. Therefore you make it manifest, that you are unholy, and corrupt, and that you are not the holy Church, who are unho­ly and profain, teachers and people, and therefore have no right to that which is said to be given only to God and the holy Church, which is in the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and both without corruption, [Page 37]and sinister affection, whose ministry is free and not put to sale as yours is, which is not the true Church but the false, whose Teachers are men of miscarriages wronging Christ and men, growing worse, prone to do more evill as well as their people: running yet further from God, and so themselves making manifest, or rendring their ministry to be unpro­fitable and uselesse: and how should you chuse but have untaught Chil­dren and families where there is such untaught Teachers, and men of miscarriages, &c: as you are?

And you may see what disorder you are in, now that you begin (as you say) to be awakened. It doth appeare you were asleep in security, or in the sleepie dreaming condition desiling the flesh, which Jude speaks of, and in sin unturned to God, Jude, 7.8. Isa. 59.2.3.4.5, 6. like those the Prophet Isaiah speaks of, (that saw it not before) and did not the Lord send his servants to awa­ken you, and complaine against you for it, and for your own disorder­linesse first before you confessed the same (which since you covertly have done) but when will you amend and returne? for as there is un­taught Teachers men of miscarriages, and growing worse, &c. so is there untaught Children and Families also in other places under the same pro­fessed Ministry of yours: Children, howling and yelling like young bruites, casting stones and dirt at Christians in the streets, and parents looking on, countenanceing the same; and some of those untaught Children confessing that there was of the magistrates also that did en­courage them in it, and likewise some of the Teachers hath been heard to say, when boyes stoned, and abused the servants of Jesus (which were sent to declare against their deceipts) Let the boyes alone with them and they will order them &c. when they were stoning and abusing the Babes and Lambes of God? And is not these boyes, and untaught Chil­dren, and familyes (you speake of) encouraged in their miscarriages, un­mannerlinesse, and misbehaviour, &c. both by their parents, as well as Preists their teachers, and also by some of the magistrates? and doth not those that are the molt untaught Children and families, who lives in unmannerlinesse, disorder, misbehaviour, and miscarriage, like you their teachers that therein groweth worse, and runneth further from God; the most act with club and fist (stoning and reviling) for you the Parish Masters and untaught teachers; and are they nor a great help to you, and such as are in union with deceipt, (unmannerlinesse, misbeha­viour, and miscarriages) to help to support the Kingdom of darknesse, and to help to carry on the work of Antichrist? but when will you teach them better? or indeed how should they do otherwise, whilst they have (and follow for their example) such untaught teachers, and men of miscarriages, &c. that are the cheife actors themselves in persecuti­on, and lives in miscarriages, growing worse therein, and wronging Christ and them, as you say you do, and therefore the Scripture is ful­filled upon you, where it saith, The leaders of the people cause them to erre, and they that are led of them are destroyed, Isa. 9.16. For there is like Preists, like people as saith the Prophet, Hosea. 4.9. therefore the [Page 38]Lord will have no joy in their young men, neither will he have mercy on their Fatherlesse, and widows, for every one (In the miscarriages wronging Christ and men, growing worse and running further from God, &c.) is an hypocrite and an evil doer, Isa. 9.16.17. like you the blind leaders of them, and evill examples that causeth them to erre, who your selves are in the miscarriages (as you say) wronging Christ and them, &c. And so it is manifest as your Agreement doth declare as well as your fruits, who your selves say, (instead of amending and turning to God) you grow worse, and run yet further from him, therefore may it not be concluded that the Lord will have no joy in you, nor mercy on you; whil'st you do so, who are the hypocrits and the evill doers?

And you say, when you come to visit the sick, you would faine speake a word of comfort to their departing souls [but dare] not do it, page 29. of your Agreement: but had it not been more honest for you to have delt plainly, and say when you goe to visit the sick, you would speake comfort to them but [cannot] do it, because you were never appointed for it; being in the miscarriages, and growing worse, and wrongers both of them and of Christ. But you say, you dare not do it because you find them so carnall and ignorant, therefore I say they are most like unto your selves, naturally dead in sin as you say, prone to do more evill, daily growing worse, and running yet further from God. Therefore as the people are carnall, Isa. 9.15.16. Hos. 6.9. Hosea. 4.9. and ignorant, so are the Priests, and like unto like; being of one evill nature, and guided by a wrongfull Spirit: likewise your people they may see, that though they fight with club and fist for you, yet you cannot help them nor speake any comfort to them, when they are on their death beds, (and stand most in need of you, if you could do them any good, but cannot) who in that miscarrying nature and Spi­rit, by which you wrong Christ and them, never were appointed for it.

And as your ministry hath not profited them in their life time, so it is as uselesse to them on their death beds, and yet you would not dare to take Wages and Tithes, &c, of those that were and are so carnall and ignorant which you cannot speake a word of comfort to on their death beds, because you want it for them: and therefore you make it mani­fest that instead of preaching for the good and comfort of souls, you preach for Tithes, and your own ends; and if they perish, so that you have but your own ends accomplished, and earthly gaine advanced what matter you? even nothing at all; for when they are on their death bed you come off with a shuffle, or a shifting trick, saying you dare not speak a word of comfort to them, when indeed you cannot: but when did you say, you durst not take Tithes, and hundreds a yeare (because your people are carnall and ignorant) but you dare take that, though jour ministry profit them nothing, neither in their life-time nor at their latter end. Therefore it is high time for (them) to looke about them, and cease from you, that they may forsake the evill, and turne to God the teacher of his people, and waite upon him▪ for instruction, the mani­festation [Page 39]festation of whose Spirit is given (to such as obey him) to profit withall 1 Cor. 12.7. though your ministry be uncomfortable uselesse and unprofi­table, yet his is usefull, comfortable, and profitable, and also free with­out sale, and to be had without mony or mony-worth, Isa. 55. Mat. 10. And you say page the 9. it is undenyable, that the everlasting perdition of multitudes is caused by their ignorance: and I say are not you (the un­taught teachers) the cause of their ignorance, and then are not you guil­ty of the blood and losse of those under you, and the soules of those multitudes, that through ignorance go into perdition? whose negli­gence [and wrong done to God and them] is a great cause of that igno­rance, &c. Therefore you say you are brought to a deep consideration of mens ignorance through your neglects, and now you say you apprehend you have wronged Christ and them, page 19▪ but what are they mended by your confession, if they go into perdition? and wherein do you amend since your confession? but seeing your preaching to be uselesse or profit (little or) nothing, but to deceive soules, keep people in ignorance, and wrong Christ and them, you pretend that you will use some perso­nall and familiar Instruction, as a meanes to prevent that killing ig­norance, Page the 9. and that you call Catechisme, setting the people to get the Creed, Lords prayer, ten Commandements, or any Orthodox Catechisme, with your expositers: the same meanes which hath beene used by Bishops, Prelates, Episcopals, your fore-Fathers, if not by the Pope, and yet the killing ignorance is left unkilled amongst your hearers, and you the untaught teachers: and when they have follow­ed you in that, you will leave them where they are, and so the igno­rance (being unkilled amongst you and them) is left and doth remaine, &c.

To the People, &c: that are put upon it, to get the Lords Prayer, Western Creed, and Ten Commandements, &c: and are yet in sin unturned to God in the selfe separation, Jer. 4.25.27.28, 29, 30, 31. Isa. 9.14.15 16, 17, Isa. 59.2.3, 4, 5, 6.

MInd the light in your consciences that reproves for sin and evil, Joh. 1.9. Math. 5.20 Job. 3, 3.5. Ephe. 5.11.12.13. Col. 3.5.6. Joh. 8.12. and obey that, to be led out of deceipt, and filthinesse, for if you get all the words your Preists requireth of you, and do not come to for­sake the evill, and imbrace the good, and so witnesse the crucifying of the old nature, and be borne of God, it will little or nothing a­vaile: therefore mind the light of Christ in your consciences that disco­vereth ignorance, error, and miscarriages to you, to follow the light, that thereby the ignorance may be killed or works of the Devill destroyed, and you by following the light end Counsel of Christ may be led out of darknesse, ignorance and mis­carriages, into the light of life, Joh. 8.12. And remember that the [Page 40]Ambassador of Christ (2. Cor. 5.20.) the Councellor that declared the Counsel of God, Acts 20.27. in his message and counsel co the Church said to them, Pray with the Spirit and with the understanding, &c. 1 Cor. 14.12.13, 14, 15, therefore when you pray and say our Father and be not begotten by, and borne of the Spirit of God, how can you pray with the Spirit and true spirituall understanding? for some are bastards and not sons ( Heb. 12.8.) therefore if the bastards pray to God as their Father they are without the true understanding, 1 Joh. 5.20. and with­out the true Spirit guiding therein, and though your 42 Priests, Pastors, Rectors, [and untaught teachers and in the miscarriages] let you to act in your own wills; and bid you get these words to say over, and some other which they have gathered together, promising you salvation thereupon, and they themselves without pardon for their wrong done to Christ and to you as they themselves say, yet let me tell you, that the Lord Jesus hath said ( Math. 7.20.21.) that the tree is known by its (evill) fruits? wherefore saith he, By their fruits you shall know them: Math. 7.15. &c: and to you I say that the Lord Jesus hath said, that it is not every one that saith, Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, so that you may get words, and yet be without the life, and not one jot nearer Heaven, and it is at postible for you and hypocrites and evil doers to get words to repeate without spi­rit and true spirituall understanding, and live still in the killing Igno­rance in you unkilled, as before: though you may get all the words, and have them ready to say over, which your Priests, and Pastors, in their miscarriages [untaught teachers or Popish Rectors] hath im­posed upon you, and yet for all that remain hypocrites, Bastards, and be Ignorant both of the new birth: and out of the way to salvation: and yet ye may say Lord, Lord, and use the words: saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, when your hearts are from him, Isa. 29.13, 14, 15, 16. And may also for all that be Bastards, ( Heb. 12.8.) and neither sonnes servants, nor Children of God, but like such as Christ said was of their Father the Devill, and be for condemnation as it is said, John 8.44. Matth. 23.33. Mark. 12.38, 39, 40. And yet may use scripture words: and be [Proud, Covetous, Persecuting, En­vious, Mat. 6.5. Mark. 12.38, 39, 40. and] Children of the Devill, John 8.44. 1 John 3.15. Math. 4.5, 6. For all that not being born of God; and being out of the eternall life: and without the true spirit and spirituall understanding and also may be under the wrath of God; And in a stare of condemna­tion, and being unrighteous shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Hea­ven, and so go into perdition: take notice of that 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Rev. 21.8, 17. Job. 1.6.7, 8, 9, Jer. 23.1. Jer. 21.30. Joh. 8.40, 41, 42, 43.44, 45.47, 48.

And it is possible for the Devill to preach the letter of the Scrip­ture, in his disciples, Proud, Covetous, Persecuting, and Self-seeking, Priests, Pastors, and Rectors, and set people in the evil na­ture to get the same: and not change it by repeating them over in the [Page 41]Miscarrying, and wrongfull nature: and being in the old birth and under the curse untaught of God, and without the true spirituall understanding, or the good spirit guiding them, and may be for condemnation for all that? Did not the Devill preach Scripture to Christ, when he came to tempt him, and say, As it is written, &c. Matth. 4.5, 6? Yet Christ rebuked him knowing his voice: and said, Get thee behind me, or Go hence Satan: Matth. 4.10, 11. So ought all Christians to say to the Satani­call Ministers, knowing their voice, and their fruits to be from the Serpent: that lives in Miscarriages doing wrong to God and Christ, [as yours say they do] witnesse their own words in their Agreement, page 4.19. &c. But when Christ reproved Satan, and denied him, then he fled from him: who came to have wronged him, 2 Cor. 6.17. Math. 7.23. Eph. 5.11. 2 Joh. 9.10, 11 2 Pet. 2.3. Jude 11. as your teachers do him and you, but your duty is to deny them and bid them depart, because they are Satanical for all their colourable glosses, being in the miscarriages: charging God with an Imperfect work, page 18.19. of their Agreement wrongers of him, of men, and of Christ his Son, but they are seen and made manifest, and wo will be your portion (that knowingly in their deceits joynes with them & doth uphold them) and did not the cheif Priests or the Devill in them, and in the Scribes and Pharisees, preach the letter of the Scriptures, Isa. 9.15, 16. Isa. 3.11. Hos. 6.9. Joh. 5.39, 40. Isa. 2.12. Luke 20.12.19, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 45, 46, 47. verses (but wanted the life of them) as your Priests do, who are wrongers of Christ and of you, (as they say) and made use of it to tempt Christ withall: but they and such like were and are for the greater condemnation, as Christ hath said, Marke 12.38, 39, 40. And doth not the Devill now in the chief Priests, Persecuters, Proud, Covetous, Envious ones, and their disciples, preach the letter of the Scripture; and are out of the life of them, seeking honour one of another, as the enemies of Christ did, that had the letter but wanted the life, Joh. 5.39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44? And do not they make use of the letter that are out of the life: & make use of it to oppose the naked truth withall? Do not Proude ones preach the letter of the Scripture, & yet live in Pride, and Coveteous­nesse, or in union with the life of the Devill who is the King of Pride, and enemy of all unrighteousnesse, &c. And doth not the Devill in Proud and Covetous ones, as well as Envious, and persecuters, &c. teach them to wrest the Scriptures for their own ends, and to plead for pride, &c? under such covers, (which are not with the spirit of the Lord) though the woe from God be against them denounced, Isa. 3.11. Isa. 20 Isa. 30. 2 Pet. 3.16. Isa. 30.1. &c. And doth not the Devill in Covetous ones teach them to break the command of God, which forbids covetousnesse? And doth not the Devill in Covetous ones and self-seekers, &c. 2 Tim. 3.1, 2. &c. now in these latter dayes teach them for their own ends, to make use of and preach the letter of the Scripture, when they are transgressors of the commands of God, and persecuting [and killing] the Innocent, for he that (persecutes and) Envies the righteous seed, he is a murtherer and is out of the life of the Spi­rit of God; as faith the Scriptures, 1 Joh. 3.22, 15: And so in the lust of [Page 42]the Devill, Joh. 8.44. And in union with the Image of Pride; in proud flesh, and bowing to it with capp and knee, as well as worship an Imaginary, and false worship: and transgresseth the commands of God, and therefore must drink deep of his wrath, Rev. 14.9, 10, 11. And if covetousnesse is Idolatry, then both Covetous, Priests, and Peo­ple, are Idolaters, and therefore are they and all false worshippers, and bowers to the Image of Pride, one in another; who are persecuters of the righteous seed, both transgressors of the commands of God, and out of the new bath, new nature, and out of the new Cove­nant and life of God, and in old envy, Wrath, Lust, Self-Love, pride, vain glory? and then are they not still in union with the life of the Devill, which evill fruits floweth there from? and doth not the Devil in Pope, Pa­pist, as well as in prelates, persecuting, self-seeking Priests, Pastors Vicars, Rectors, and Proud painted Antichristian Ministers, make use of, and preach the Letter of the Scripture, being without the life of truth, and in the nature of the Devill? and are not you (that are wrongers of Christ and in Miscarriages, &c.) and they, guided by an evil spirit, Joh. 8.39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48.52. verses and in union with that evil nature, as the Jews and cheif Priests, and such was, that persecuted Christ Jesus? yet they preached the letter, and spake of Moses and the prophets, for their own ends, by the Spirit of the Devill, Joh. 8.39. and would not receive the truth nor forsake their Sins, Pride, Will-worship, Self-love, Covet­ousnesse, Self-righteousnesse, vain glory, and honour of the world: but refused to deny self, take up the daily crosse, and come unto the life, and power of truth: so that Christ complained against them Joh. 5.40. and (letting their visitation slip) he wept over them: Joh. 5.40, 41, 42, 43, 44. and therefore that you may come to understand the truth, & learn to pray and preach aright; minde, to be obedient to the Light of Christ in your consciences which reproves in secret for evil, and doth convince you of sin, self righteousnesse, unbeliefe, Pride, Covetousnesse, Per­secution, the love and honour of the world, unrighteousnesse and your Miscarriages, and of the wrong you do to Christ and men: and as your duty is to depart from iniquity, so you are to yield unto the light, and follow the same, that you may come out of your miscarriages, and cease doing wrong to Christ & men: & forsake the evil of your wayes (by the light) discovered; cease to do evil, and learn of that which is good, for to do well; which reproves you for the evil, that you may come out of the wrong way unto the right, and know the power of truth manifested, and Christ at work in your hearts and soules, destroying the Pride, Lust, Covetousnesse, Self-love, vain glory, unbeliefe, and so all unrighteousnesse as it is discovered to you: and also beget you [obeying and following the light] into righteousnesse, pure unfained love, and out of the Hypocrisie, into the faith unfained, and true patience [perfecting his work that it may posses [...] your soules] and dispossess impatience and distrust, that your soules may come into joy and peace, through the working of the power of [Page 43]God killing sin and quickening you by his spirit, begetting and bring­ing forth that which is pure, holy, just and good, to be your rule and guide: as in such it is, where the birth is known that is of the spirit of Gods then might you call him Father by divine right, and so in truth and righteousnesse [with the spirit and true spirituall understanding] might you pray with such a right: as of Christ are taught, and are guid­ed by the Spirit of God, &c. to say,

Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, and then would you hallow, and so Sanctify (the name of) the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready thereby (without your Miscarrying priests) to give an answer to every man that shall aske you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meeknes and fear, 1 Pet. 3.15. having a good conscience as the Saints and Children of God the Father hath, and a­foretime had, 1 Pet. 3.16. in which the mystery of faith is held 1 Tim. 3.9. and not in your Miscarrying nature, or a piece of paper from your untaught teachers, that know not God, nor his eternall Living word: but are wrongers (as themselves confesse) both of you and Christ; and because they transgresse and abide not in the doctrin of Christ they have not God, 2 Joh. 9. but are under condemnation: condemned by that which their dark minde cannot comprehend, and whilst they and you wrong men and Christ, and so regard iniquity in your hearts, God will not regard your prayers, Psal. 66.18.

And let those that use the words and say, Our Father. &c. learn to know whether or no, they yet be Children and Sons of God. For if ly­ers and wicked ones say, Our Father which art in Heaven, they are in the Miscarriages; and speak without understanding: And if Enviers,. Drunkards, Proud, and Covetous ones, such as are persecuters and in the old nature, not born again, say, our Father which art in Heaven; do not they show their Ignorance of their Father [who hath begotten them into Pride, Covetousnesse, Drunkennesse, Lying, and Dissemble­ing, Isa. 28. Mal 4. Rom. 1.18 28.29. verses and into all unrighteousnesse, and the perfection of wickednesse] and do they not pray without understanding? for saith Christ to such Ye are of your Father the Devill, take notice of that: also read, John. 8.44. And know you not that the unrighteous ones are shut out of the Kingdom of God▪ 1 Cor. 6, 9.10. And the unclean, abomi­nable, and lyers shall not in any wise enter, as you may read, Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. Rev. 21.8, 27. And remember that the Devill who is the King of pride, and Father of the unfaithfull, such as are neglecters of the work of God, and they that are wrongers of men and of Christ, such as are in the Miscarriages, Persecuters, and unrighteous, and the Father of lyers, he is cast down out of Heaven. Therefore when you that are such, prayes as you say, to a Father in Heaven, do you not pray without, (knowledge of your Father, Math. 25.41. to the end Psal. 9.17. and so without) understanding, for the Devill is the Father of persecuters, seed of evil doers, and of lyers; do you not know that he is in hell, and the wicked, as well as all that forgett God must be turned in thither, Psal. 9.17?

[Page 44]And when you say, Hallowed be thy Name: such as do not sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts, do not hallow his Name; for to hallow is to sanctifie, but liars, swearers, cursed speakers, stoners, revilers, persecu­ters of the children of God, and all covetous and malitious ones, and such as are in the miscariages, wrongers of Christ and of men, &c. that lives and acts in ungodlinesse, deceit and filthinesse, dishonours the Name of the Lord, and therefore they do not hallow it: but as James saith, they blaspheme the worthy Name (who have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect or persons) and being out of the truth and partial, Jam. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. become Judges of evil thoughts: who despise the poor and oppresse the saints, and servants of God, drawing them before the judg­ment-seat, and blaspheming that worthy name, by which they are cal­led, as it is written, Jam. 2.7. And do you not know that when the name of the Lord is polluted and blasphemed, that he is highly dis­honoured, and sore offended: and Christ Jesus hath said, that the sin of blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor that which is to come; therefore look to it all that are such, and you that lives in persecutions and miscarriages, who are wrongers of Christ and of men, &c.

And when you say, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; I say, such as are in the miscarrying nature, and without the true Spirit, and spiritual understanding, and wrongers of the Lord Jesus, how should you know it, when and where it is both come and preached? for it consisteth not in pride and vain glory, persecution, mis­carriages, wronging God and men, and eating and drinking to satisfie the lust, nor in unrighteousnesse; for that is the kingdom of the devil, which consisteth therein. See if you know not that kingdom come, and set up in your hearts (though you be strangers to the other). And how can you believe that seek honour one of another, and doth not deny your wills, and worldly honours, &c. to seek the honour that cometh of God only and do his will, Joh. 5.44? Who instead of seeking his kingdom, and doing his will, are doing your own, and seeking the kingdom of the world, and the unrighteousnesse thereof, and not the kingdom of God which consisteth in righteousnesse, peace and joy in the holy Ghost, and not in the miscarriages, persecution, and wronging men and Christ, and growing worse, &c.

And when you pray that the will of God may be done, on earth as it is in heaven, see that you do his will as it is of you required, and bear not false witnesse against any (the Lord doth forbid it) nor envy in your hearts, that is a killing and murdering; & the Lord is against it, Matth. 19.18, 1 Ioh. 3.12.15. and if you do the will of God, persecution and lying will cease amongst you: and so will the issue of slander and deceit be stopped, and if you do the will of God, swear not at all, Iam. 5.11. then will oaths be cut off: for remember that the Lord Jesus repealed oaths, Matth. 5.34. And such as swear, by the Lord shall be cut off, Zepha. 1.4.5. And lie not one to another, Col. 3.9. then will truth take place: Do not oppresse, nor use any defraud, nor deceit: but do that which is [Page 45]altogether just, for this is the will of God, 1 Thes. 4.3, 4, 5, 6.

And if you would have the will of God done, it is his will that you should obey him and deny your selves, and see that you do his will as it is required of you; for he saith, Let every one that names the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity [and that is his will] 2 Tim. 2.19. He hath so determined it in heaven, left upon record in scripture, and witnessed to with that in your consciences, which calls for purity and equity, and reproves for your miscarriages sin and iniquity: but you, and such as you are, are ready to plead for iniquity, and say, they cannot depart from it here in this life, &c. though God requires it, and command it. And such as so rebelliously refuse to do the will of God are in danger of being guilty of the sin against the holy Ghost, and their case is dangerous that sins wilfully after grace received: who refuse to do the Will of God, Heb. 10.26, 27.

And if you or any say, Who hath resisted the will of God? I say there is a question asked: and it is answered, that such as resists the holy Ghost, resists the will of God: but the uncircumcised in hearts and ears, alwaies resists the holy Ghost, Acts 7.51, 52. Therefore [they in that nature who wrong Christ and men, and lives in miscarriages, knowing the same and gain-sayes the Counsel of God, in refusing to deny their miscarria­ges, but only tell of them and the wrong they do to Christ and men, re­fusing to deny the same, and to amend and make restitution to whom they have wronged, and cease wronging any, and refusing to forsake the evil and cease persecution, to turn unto God, they refuse to deny their wills, that they might obey the will of God, and therefore] such are re­sisters of the will of God, as your untaught teachers are, and the Jews in nature like them was: whom Christ would often have gathered and they would not, Matth. 23.27. therefore saith he [ye that depart not from Iniquity, Pride, Coveteousnesse, Vain-talking, foolish Jesting will-Worships, the love and honour of the world, persecution and miscarria­ges] ye will not come to me that ye might have life, Joh. 5.40.44. and saith he, Why call ye me Lord, and do not the things that I say? Luke 6.46.

And whereas you say, Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts or trespasses, as we forgive our debtors, or them that trespasse against us, &c. I say, that they that Christ teacheth to pray, and them that he taught that prayer, and did him obey; exhorted others to do so: but when your wills are crost, are you not ready to destroy and devour such as crosses your wills? and yet you pray sort your forgivnesse upon that account, and so if you do not forgive others, you pray for no forgiv­nesse, according to that account: and if you would have God to forgive you as you forgive others, see that you do forgive them that trespasse against you, or else if you seek revenge (persecute, &c.) and do not for­give them, if they do trespasse against you: do you not pray that God may take vengeance of you, and not forgive you, when you trespasse a­gainst him; because you do not forgive them that trespasse against you, and prayes for your forgivnesse of God, as you forgive men, and so [Page 46]when you do not forgive them, you pray that God may not forgive you, but do to you as you would do to them that offend and trespasse against you: and you that do not cease your persecution, and also forgive them that trespasse against you, you do not act according to the will of God, nor regard your own words, and vowes made to God in Prayer, and if instead of forgiving those that trespasse against you, you rather seeke their destruction, and ruine; do you not pray that God may de­stroy and ruine you, and to do by you as you think to do to them, and is not all this according to your Prayer? Consider well of it, and If you do not forgive them that trespasse against you, doth it not appeare that you are not of Gods elect, that you have not yet learned the doctrine of the Apostles and of Christ; for saith Christ to such as he taught, if you forgive men their trespasses your Heavenly Father will forgive you, your trespasses, Math. 6.15. And if you would follow that you might cease persecution, quarrelling, and jangling, and put on, as the elect did & do, bowels of mercy, humblenesse of minde, long suffering, forbeareance, for­giving one another; and if any have a quarell against any, even as Christ forgiveth, learne of him, and do ye so, for the elect, and such as are taught of him, and abideth in his doctrine, doth so Col. 3.12, 13, and exhorts others to do the same, but it appeares that you, or such as do not so, viz. forgive them that trespasse against you in obedience to the will of God, and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, you show thereby that you resist the will of God, and are not of the elect, but out of both the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, and doth it not plain­ly appeare, that you and persecuters that wrongs God and Christ, and are not yet forgiven, and therefore you do not forgive nor regard what you pray for, as to performe your vowes, &c. Therefore doth your hypocrisie more appeare, and so you make use of the Scriptures only to talke of, and garnish your selves withall (as the Scribes and Pharises did) that you may oppose the truth, and paint your selves with the words as they did, but comes not to the life of truth to walk in, but are shut out as they was, and now it is manifest for the light is risen and sprung up in the hearts of many, praised be the Lord, and your de­ceits and deeds of darknesse must be found out, and laid open the Lord hath his fanners and he will fift the Nations, and the day declareth e­very mans work of what sort it is: and now the Lord looks for fruits, for that tree is cursed that makes a great show in leaves and brings forth no fruit unto Christ, as the figg-tree was: read and understand if you can; I desire of the Lord for you that you may, and to your soul's pro­fit: but let the Serpent be famished, dust is his meate, but the Father Almighty feedeth his Children, and their soules doth taste of his Manna, and knowes the daily bread, and the sacrifice which is offered up, and is the living sanctified soul's nourishment, and daily food; for which he is not only prayed unto, but also praised for: glory and honour be to him for evermore.

[Page 47]And when you say, Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from e­vill, for thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen,

You Priests that are offended at the name of Priests, were you not so called by your fore-fathers? Read, and see if you know your Succession, &c. 37. H. 8. Chap. 21. and 24.

SUch Priests, that are made Priests by man, are you not called Priests in the law of man: then why are you grown so Proud and high minded as to scorn to bear the name of Priests, 27. H. 6. Cap. 6. Parish Priests, 2. H. stat. 2. Chap. 2.37. H. 8. Cap. the 24. 1 Mary. Chap. 3.27. H. 8, Cap. 20. and 21.5. and 6. of Edw. 6. Chap. 1. Priests 1 Edw. 6. Ch. 14 marriage of Priests, &c: 2 Edw. 6. Chap. 21. and 5. and 6. Edw. 6. chap. 12. Preists, &c. 13. Eliz. chap. [...]6. by which you are called, who are offended at those that calls you Pri [...]sts, (Curates, and Clarks, &c.) Which names the law call­eth you, and which names they gave you, that made you Priests, (Cu­rates, & Clarks, &c.) & were you not called to your places & benefices, by the name of Priests, Curates, & Clarks, &c. If so: then in being offended at such as calleth you Priests, &c. are you not offended at the law which call­eth you so, and therefore if you deny the names of Priests, (Curates, and Clarks, &c.) do you not deny the names by which you are call­ed, (that are so) to your Places and Benefits; and if you deny your names why do you not deny your Benefits: and that which attends your names, as you are called Priests, (Curates and Clarks, &c.)in and by the law of man? and if you be offended at the name of Priests, or for being (your selves) called by that name, are you not offended both at the law in which you are so called, and also at them that made you Priests; and therein called you so: and therefore being offended for being called Priests, (Curates and Clarks, &c.) are you not offended at your call, and them that called you, and gave you your meanes w [...]th your names: and if you change your names, must you not chance your old nature and meanes: or when you ground an Act­ion in Law for to sue for (that which you call) your parochiall rights, as Tythes, Easter-Reconings, and Mids-Summer-dues, &. And can you sue for them in the name of the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel of Christ, or must you not sue for them in the name of Priest, Curate, or Clark, &c. then if you deny them names, must you not deny sueing for Tythes (and preach without them freely as the Apostles Ambassadors and Ministers of Christ and the new covenant did): but rather then you will part with your ornaments or that which attends your names, as Tythes, Faster-Reconings Mid-Sumers Dues, &c. (as you call them) will yon not sticke to your old natures and names, (of Priests, &c.) and yet notwithstanding, is not Pride so high in you, that you scorn at other times to be called by the name of Priests, (Cu [...]ates, and Clarks, &c.) Except when you make use of them for your own ends? And if you deny your names by which you were called at first to your Benefits, and meanes, must you not deny your Benefits and meanes that were given unto you, when and by whom you received such names: but will not you deny some of your names (under a colour) and yet hold your meanes; except you fly to your old names, when you seek your own ends; therefore if you [Page 63]let the one fall, let the other go with it: if you be offended for being called Priests, Rectors, Curates, or Clarks, &c. (tho [...]gh pro­fessed Ministers of Christ, &c.) why are you not offended at Tythes Easter Reconings, Mid-Summer Dues, as you call them, and those meanes which you received or had stated upon you under such denomi­nations or names? will not the beast soon blush because of the number of his names (which is as the number of a man) and the marke which he receives in his hands, or rather cry down some of his names, and (un­der a colour) seeke to hold up his other markes and him meanes, but in the end must they not all downe together? and though you Preists (Curates and Clarks, &c:) that were so called to your places and benefices, seeke to chainge your names under a colour, you still labour to uphold your old nature and meanes, and instead of sueing under the names of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ for your Tithes, Easter rcconings, &c. do you not sue under the names either of Preists, (Re­ctors, Parsons, Vicars, Curates) or Clarks, &c: And yet after you have taken upon you such names to compasse your ends, would you not throw off your names when your ends are accomplished: and if you be called by them, art you not ready to be offended till you have need of them for your selfe ends, and will you not then take them upon you a­gaine, rather then take up the daily Crosse therein to follow Christ, and both deny your Tithes, preaching for hundreds a yeare, &c: and also deny for to be any more selfended, and as you are and have been, and yet for your own ends and earthly gaines though you be offended at the name of Preists, &c: you will rather stick to your names, then for­sake your selfends (and earthly gaines, Tithes, Easter-reconings, &c.) and seeks to take upon you a cover from the Levitical Preist-hood, to hide you under, saying: The Preists lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts, Mala. 2.7, 8, 9.

But I say, that such as are in miscarriages wronging Christ and men growing worse, and yet run further from God, they are not those whose lips preserves knowledge, neither are they those that the people should seeke the law at, nor they are not the messengers of him, and growing worse in miscarriages, and yet are (as you say) running further from him: and they that run from God run not for God, and such as are in the miscarriages, and neither amend nor yet come out of them, and so are unfit to be the Lords messengers, but you are in miscarriages growing worse you say, and so you make it manifest that you do not a­mend nor come out of them, that r [...]ns on in them and growing worse therefore are you unfit to be the Lords Messengers, and such as are in miscarriages, growing worle and run further from God, they run from grace, goodnesse, and from the law, and preservation of true wisdom and knowledge, and such are not to be enquired at, neither doth their lips preserve knowledge nor keepe the law of the Lord, who is to be enquired at, and obeyed, but they living (as you do) in mis­carriages [Page 64]growing worse, and yet running further from God: such are out of the way (as you are) and also corrupters of the covenant as well as transgressors of the law of God, and therefore their lips doth not preserve true knowledge, neither keepe they the law, therefore unfit to teach others in it, no more then you are that cast it behind your backs to run into miscarriages and grow worse, and still run further from God, such was those that the Lord sent his Prophets to cry out against. And in the leviticall Preisthood, God did ordaine Preists under the law by which they were then made, and were set apart for the service of God, under that dispensation and the Lord had a covenant of life and peace with them, the law of truth was in his, ( viz, Priests Levi's) mouth whilst he walked herein, iniquity was not sound in his lips, but he walked with the Lord in peace, and equity, and did turne many away from iniquity, and then the Preists lips (that with God did walke and a­bide in that covenant or life and peace, in whose mouth the law of truth was) did preserve knowledge, and the people sought the law (not the Gospel) at his mouth, under that legall dispensation, abiding in Co­venant according to ordination, &c. he was the messenger of the Lord of hosts, Mal. 2.5.6.7 but you are not such Preists, (and yet pretends to preach the Gospel) not the law, but lives in your miscarriages and Legal transgressions, growing worse and running yet further from God, you do not go on in iniquity onely, but leads others therein, and teacheth them to plead for sin, tearme of life? then you do not turne others from iniquity, but runs further into it that runs into your miscarriages and growes worse, neither do you walke with God that runs (as you say) fur­ther from him: therefore you are not his messengers, neither are you those Preists whose lips preserves the true knowledge, and at whose mouth the people sought the law in that Legall dispensation and admi­nistration, for they walked with God in a Covenant of life and peace, and the law of truth was in their mouths, so was the feare of God in their hearts, and turned many from their iniquities, but such as transgressed the Covenant and went from the life thereof, and from the law and the truth they went into miscarriages, and grew worse, and run further from God, preached for hire, bare rule by their meanes, caused many to stum­ble, and corrupted the covenant (as you do) and such the Lord was a­gainst and he is against you, Jer 5.25.27, 28, 29, 30, 31. and their lips did not preserve true know­ledge, though they was Preists and Preached for hire, Mica. 3.11. and bare rule by their meanes, and lived in miscarriages, Jer. 5. as you do, neither doth your lips preserve true knowledge, though you be Preists and preach for hire, and beare [...]ule by your meanes, and lives in mis­carriages (as you say) and as they did that corrupted the covenant: and so you may see where you are; you would beare the name of Priests for your own ends and yet both be offended at them which call you so, and tell you of your miscarriages which you now confesse, but instead of forsaking run further in them, in running from God, therefore your mouthes in­stead [Page 65]of preserving true knowledge, utters your confusion, and your peo­ples ignorance, and sleepie security, that are as you say so carnall and ignorant, that they can scarce speake a word of sense in matters of sal­vation, and so it is manifest by their and your fruits, cruelty, end per­secution, that you are ignorant of the Gospel, and knoweth not the way to salvation.

ANd unto you 42. Preists, who are found in this state of separation from God and in those workes upon which his curse remaines, from the Lord I-say unto you (and to all your generation who are found in the same state, and working the same workes with you) Returne and repent; and seeing you have confessed the same, viz. your miscarriages and wrong done to God to Christ and to men, it is your duty to amend and come out of the same: make it manifest by your returne, not in flatteries and faigned hypocrisie, but by ceasing persecution, and cruelty; give over preach­ing for hire, and beareing rule by your meanes; forsake your covetous­nesse, Pride, Pompe, and vaine glory; and cease seeking your own ends, and make not a prey upon the innocent and harmelesse, but give over your wronging Christ and men, and learne to feare him, do not go a­bout to make pleas for sin, and covers for your miscarriages, but deale honestly and come out of them, for it is hard for the Camel, the rich mans figure, to enter the eye of a needle, except he be broken and bruis­ed, &c: so is it as hard for the rich man to enter the Kingdome, ex­cept he be stripped of his riches, Pride, Pompe and Vaine-glory, and be thereunto fitted to enter, by being made poore in Spirit, and so it is said, Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God: therefore before you enter the Kingdom you must be stript of selfe righte­ousnesse, and come out of your miscarriages, Math. 5.3. Math. 5.20. cease wronging Christ and men, and be borne againe before you can enter the same, Joh. 3.3.5. Joh. 3.9.10. therefore do not seeke to cover your selves, and hide your miscarriages, now that you have confessed them, but come forth and forsake them; for he that hides his sin shall not prosper: and it is not sufficient for you to confesse your miscarriages, and run on in them, but after confession to forsake: for he that confesseth and forsaketh, shall find mery, but so shall it not be with them that only confesse and grow worse, who do not forsake them but run further on in them: therefore consider and let truth and equity enter, and do not account and reckon your selves to be dead unto sin, and alive unto God, whil'st you are naturally dead in sin, and alive in persecution, lust and miscarriages, therein growing worse, who are run­ning yet f [...]rther from God, least you make a wrong account and reckon amisse: and though the man be blessed to whom the Lord doth not im­pute sin what is that to you, to whom sin is imputed, who are bewailing your negligence, miscarriages, and peoples ignorance, who are growing worse and r [...]nning further from God? except you forsake your miscarri­ages, and obey that which convinceth you of them, that you may be [Page 66]led out of sin and turned to God; and do not account the righteousnesse of Christ to be yours, whilst you are holding the truth in unrighteous­nesse, which the wrath from God is revealed against: for what fellow­ship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse? and what communi­on hath light with darknesse? therefore turne to the light which shews you your darknesse, sin and miscarriages, and come out of fellowship with sin and unrighteousnesse, as well as forsake your miscarriages, and waite upon the light to know the righteousnesse revealed from faith to faith: Rom. 1.18. 2 Cor. 6.14. 2 Co [...]. 4, 5, 6, Rom. 16.17. Coll. 3. Rom. 5. [...]7. Isa. 55.6, 7. for you must put off the old man with his deeds and come out of unrighteousnesse; and put on the new man which after God is Created, if you intend to be made partakers of his holinesse, and the righteous­nesse which is the gift of God: therefore let the w [...]cked forsake his wayes, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turne to the Lord and he will have mercy on them; but if you run on in your miscarriages, and grow worse, you run on in unrighteousnesse and forsake the mercy, who in­stead of turning to God runs further from him: therefore do not seeke to hide your sins any longer but come out of them, and forsake them, and thinke not to hide your selves, and to make a cover for your miscarriages that you may grow worse and continue therein, with saying, Peter deni­ed his Master, and after found mercy: but remember that when the Cock crew to put Peter in remembrace of what he had done, he wept bitterly, and made his returne manifest by coming out of his sin, who did not afterward run on in the same, nor any more deny Christ as he had done therefore if you take Peter for your example, minde to follow his practice now that you are made sensible of your miscarriages, weepe bitterly as Pe­ter did; humble your selves under the mighty hand of God, be seperate from your sins, and touch not the uncleane thing, make your returne ma­nifest as Peter did, and cease doing wrong any more to Christ and men, and instead of running from God, turne to him that you may stand in awe and not sin, and this is love to your soules, if you can receive it.