Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity, Treatise · Part 2

Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity · Treatise · Part 2

p. 84VVE being yet (through the helpe of our God) moſt diſirous to a wakē all you of our owne Nation out of that dead ſecuriy, and ſpirituall ſlumber, wherein as in the Sea, you are all over whelmed, and finding no better nor anie ſo fitt portion of Gods word to effect theſe our vnfained diſires, as this propheſie of our Saviour Chriſt Mat. 24.15. which propheſieth of daies of ſo great tribulation: and it is repeated Mark. 13. and Luk. 17. and Luk. 21. all which places of the Evangeliſts muſt be moſt carefully and diligently compared together, becauſe the wiſe reader ſhall find (by good obſervation) that there are 4. Propheſies of our Saviour Chriſts, by the Evangeliſts ſet downe together, which are, 1. the deſtruction of Ieruſalem 2.ly the daies of the exaltation of the man of ſin, ſene and diſcovered 3.^ly the days of the Sonne of Man, in the brightnes of his coming for the conſuming and aboliſhing of the Miſtery of Iniquity; the abhomination of deſolation, the Man of ſin. And laſtly the day of Chriſts coming to judgment.

Every one of theſe Propheſies muſt be diverſly conſidered of, with their proper apperteynings, for the true and holy vnderſtanding thereof, and not confounded together. Two whereof, wee have, and ſhall (by the grace of God) ſpeake of, as God ſhall enable vsus 1. the exaltation ſeene and diſcovered, and the dangers of thoſe daies 2.^ly of the days of the Sonne of Man in the brightnes of his coming, for the conſuming of the Man of ſinne, as being moſt fitt Scriptures to ſtir you vp, to the conſideration of your ſpirituall eſtates and ſtandings, and to direct you therein (the Scriptures wee meane, not wee) if you will not harden your neckes and periſh in the waies of death and ſinne.

p. 85And as wee have endeauored to proboake you to looke vp, that you might ſee the abhomination of deſolation ſet vp in the holy place, & how the kingdome of the Man of ſinne is even within you all that ſubmitt your ſelves in anie obedience to the power of the firſt, or ſecond Beaſt, bearing the Beaſts mark, or the print of his name: ſo ſhall wee alſo be willing, with the helpe of our God, to ſtir you vp to conſider of the great dāger that our ſaviour Chriſt hath fore-ſhewed ſhalbe in theſe daies, when men ſee the abhomination of deſolation ſet vp, and according to our Saviours exhortation begin to flee, as all that have eies may ſee, men now begin to do. The danger that Chriſt foretold of, is: that in thoſe days (which are theſe daies) manie ſhall come (who now are come) in Chriſts name, and ſay: Loe heere is Chriſt, Loe there is Chriſt: and manie falſe Chriſt ſhall ariſe, and manie falſe Prophetts, and ſhall ſhewe great ſignes and wonders ſo as if were poſſible, they ſhould deceive the very elect. Way then with your ſelves whether you had not need to conſider, when the daies are ſo dangerous & perillous, as if it were poſſible the very elect ſhould be deceived: ſuch is the danger of theſe daies, by reaſon of the falſe profeſſions of Chriſt, and falſe Prophetts that do ariſe. And ſeeing the falſe Prophetts are the Teachers and mainteyners of the falſe profeſſions, wee ſhall endeauor to diſcover them both vnderunder one, and will onelyonly ſpeake of ſuch falſe Prophetts, and profeſſions as are amongſt you, and knowne to you, not burthening you with the multitude of ſtraing and forreyn falſe Prophetts and falſe profeſſions that are in the world; whereof wee generally admoniſh you to beware of; but it is full time that you tooke to thoſe falſe profeſſions and falſe Prophetts that are p. 86amonge you, if you have anie regard at all of Gods glory, or the ſalvation of your owne ſoules.

And ſeeing wee cannot ſpeake of the falſe Chriſts, or falſe profeſſions of Chriſt that are amongſt you, but wee muſt name them, wee pray it may not be offenſive that wee tearme them by ſuch names and titles, as men diſtinguiſh them.

The firſt where of is, that great, and ſo much applauded profeſſion of Puritaniſme. The which profeſſion to prove it is a falſe profeſſion, yea and ſuch a falſe profeſſion, as wee know not the like vponupon the earth, wee ſhall not need to produce anie teſtimony but your owne: for whereas in your ſo manie bookes, you cry out of the thinges that are amiſſe among you, and ſue, and ſupplicate, and yet ſtill continew in your former waies, you teſtifie hereby againſt your ſelves, that you are vnreformed, and that there is a way of reformation, wherein you would be, if you might have leave or licenſe to enter thereinto: which ſeeing you cannot obteyne, you iuſtify it lawfull to walke in an vnreformed profeſſion of Religion, vponupon this ground becauſe you may not have leave by act of Parliament to reforme. What falſer profeſſion can be found vponupon the earth then this of yours, who profeſſe that you knowe a way of much truth where in you would walke, but you do not, becauſe you cannot by the ſuperior power be permitted.

Let this ſuffice in this place to prove that you walke in a falſe profeſſion of Chriſt, by your owne acknowledgment, calling dayly for liberty that you might reforme your ſelves, but ſeing it will not p. 87be granted; you go on in the falſe way you diſaprove of. Your grounds and reaſons wee ſhall hereafter (by Gods aſſiſtance) try: but in the meane time let Gods people knowe, that there will never warrant be found, to give men liberty for anie time, to deferr to eſchew evill, and to refrayne to do good, for feare of men, or in obedience vntounto men, or vnderunder anie pretence what ſoever. Moſt wicked and falſe is that profeſſion; and moſt falſe Prophetts are all thoſe that profeſſe and teath ſuch a doctrine that men are not bound without anie delay, al reſpects laid aſide, with all ſpeed to eſchew evil and do good, as that true Prophett, David did, and taught who ſaith, Pſal. 119.60. I made haiſt and delayed not, to keepe thy comaundements. And ſo wee proceed to ſhew that all your Puritane Prophetts (ſo called) are falſe Prophetts, and ſuch as our Saviour Chriſt fortells of, who ſay, Loe Here is Chriſt, but comaunds, beleeve them not.

And although wee might prove you all falſe Prophetts becauſe you teach manie falſe doctrines, yet wee hold it the moſt eaſy and plaine way, for the vnderſtanding of all to ſhew you to be falſe Prophetts, becauſe you are not ſent, nor called of God, & herein ſhall you have the leaſt deceaveable ſhewe for your ſelves.

But before wee ſpeake of your not being called & ſent of God (which muſt appeare by your Election and ordination vntounto the Office or worke of a Biſhop or Paſtor, for other Prophetts wee knowe none amongſt you) wee will ſet downe the gifts and graces, wherewith they are to be qualified, that are to be elected and ordeyned, and vndertake that Office: as alſo how their wives & childrē are to be qualified p. 88And theſe are the words of him that ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light. And of him that ſaid thou ſhalt have no other Gods before my face, and of the Law-giver, all whoſe lawes are perfect lawes.

Theſe are his words, and this is his law. Let a Biſhop or Paſtor be the huſband of one wife, watching, temperate, modeſt, harborous, apt to teach, and able to exhort with wholſome doctrine, and to convince them that ſay againſt it, nor given to wyne; no ſtriker, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, no fighter not covetous, one that can rule his owne houſe honeſtly, haveing children vnderunder obedience withall reverence. Let him not be a yong Diſciple, or newly planted in. Let him be well reported of, even of them that are without. Let his wife be honeſt, no evill ſpeaker, ſober, faithfull in all thinges. This is the law of God 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. according to this law, in every perticuler, muſt a Biſhop or Paſtor, and his wife, and children be qualified for it is the law of the perfect law-giver. And thou ſhall have no other Biſhop or Paſtor before his face. This wee ſet downe to put you and the people of God in mynd to looke firſt, that you their Biſhops or Paſtors be thus qualified, for all that are not ſo both in them ſelves, and their wives and children are not ſent of God to be Paſtors of his flock, but are falſe Prophetts in the firſt degree, for God ſendeth none but thoſe that are according to his owne rule: and hereby may you ſee that every holy man and excellent preacher may not be a Biſhop and Paſtor over the houſe of God.

p. 89And now Election and Ordination, which is the doore and way, whereby the true Biſhops and Paſtors of the flock do enter. The holy ghoſt doth teach. Act. 14.23. that election and Ordination were performed in and by the Church or Congregation with faſting and praier: this is the doore & way, and all that have entred by anie other way, are theves and robbers, as our Saviour Chriſt teſtifieth Ioh. 10. Are you not all now at once convinced? and muſt you not all be forced to confeſſe that you have no ſuch Election nor Ordination? is your purchaſed Election of Patrons either perticuler men, or of deane and Echapter, or ſome Colledg▪ or the private Election of ſome frend like vntounto this holy order of Election, which Chriſt hath appointed in his Church, to be made with the gracious free & full conſent of every hart & tongue in the whole congregation? how woefull and wretched is the eſtate of you all (if you repent not) that joyne in this great wickednes to deprive the Church of Chriſt of ſuch a bleſſed and comfortable ordinance of Chriſt, how bleſſed and confortable a thinge were it, for a holy people ſo to Elect their Paſtors that ſhould lead them, and feed them with the wholeſome word of doctrine and Exhortation, and watch over their ſoules in the lord.

And what a bleſſed comfort were it for a holy man to be ſo elected of a holy people: ſo ſhould a Godly people have holy Paſtors over them, whom they would all love and reverence: and ſo ſhould Godly Paſtors have a holy people to followe them whome they would carefully feed and cheriſh, and this is the Ordinance of God, and law of p. 90Election: but to get an Election for monie either of a mans owne, or of his frends, or by private favour or frendſhip or beholdinges to men, and ſo corruptly to become a Paſtor over a flock of people diverſly affected, and manie openly prophane and wicked, here is an vnholy Election of an vnholy Paſtor, over a corrupt and vnholy flock, this is not to enter in by the dore but to clyme vp another way, which ſeeing you all do, not anie one of you entring by that holy Election which Chriſt hath appointed, Chriſt him ſelfe hath adiudged you all, not to be the ſhepherds of the ſheepe, but to be theeves and robbers.

And thus are you all falſe Prophetts: how ſhall you be able to ſtand before the lord in this matter? or how can you iuſtifie your ſelves before men? will you make the word of the lord of no effect, and bleſſe your ſelves in your owne waies, if you ſhall ſtill do ſo, as you have long done, yet ſhall you not be bleſſed of the lord, in that you do herein violate and vtterly aboliſh that holy law of Election, which Chriſt hath ordeyned in his Church for the chuſing of the true ſhepherds of his ſheepe, and for the keeping of theeves and robbers out of his ſhepefold.

Next in order to be ſpoken of is Ordination, a holy ordinance of God, comanded by the holy ghoſt Tit. 1.5. and the example of the adminiſtration thereof, given vsus by th-Appoſtles in the church of Chriſt Act. 6.6. & practiced by the diſciples Act. 13.1.3 And taught vsus to be a doctrine of the beginings of Chriſt, and of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2. being called p. 91the Doctrine of laying on of hands. And this Ordinance was performed and done in the preſence of the Church or congregation by faſting and praier and laying on of hands, ordeyning, and appointing, and ſeperating thereby thoſe that were Elected and choſen to Office Act. 6.6. and 13.2.3. and 14.23. And all this was performed and done by, and in that Congregation whereof they were choſen Officers, the Church or Congregation being in this holy māner aſſembled together to performe this … ordinance all faſting and praing to the lord with one hart and ſoule to give a bleſſing vntounto that his owne Ordinance.

Is your Ordination like vntounto this? which the beſt of you all are fayne to get by ſute and ſervice, by riding and runing, by attending and wayting, by Capping and curtſeing, and at laſt by proſtrating your ſelves on your knees at the feet of an Arch-Biſhop or lord Biſhopp receiving your Ordination from him, who herein exaltes him ſelf above God, exerciſing the power of the beaſt, diſpoyling Chriſt and his Church of this holy Ordinance takeing it wholly into their owne power, and diſpoſing of it onelyonly to ſuch as promiſſe faith full obedience vntounto the Hyrarchy of Arch-Biſhop, and lord Biſhop which is the ſecond Beaſt, and which your ſelves ſay, both in words and writings is an Antichriſtian Hyrarchy. The lord give you eies to ſee how you have broken the Covenant of the lord in polluting and aboliſhing this his holy Ordinance, and be aſhamed to remember the Covenant you have made with this Hyrarchy, by which Covenant of obedience you have gotten your Ordination, and ſo are the Prophetts of the Beaſt: for to whome ſoever you give your ſelves to obey, his ſervant you are to whome you obey.

p. 92Rom. 6.6. although you deny him in words as you do. Have you gotten an Office of the Hyrarchy, and vnderunder the Hyrarchy, and will you in words and writings proteſt againſt the Hyrarchy, and yet reteyne your Office, which you have gotten by promiſſing obedience therevnto? and thinke you to ſerve Chriſt with this your ſtolne Office? Halt not ſo betwene Chriſt and the Man of ſinne: but if you will deny your lords that have preferred you to Office, deny their Office alſo, in both which you ſhall do well, but if you will reteyne your Office reteyne your Lords alſo that have preferred you, in both which you ſhall do evill. What conſcionable anſwere will you make to theſe thinges? dare anie affirme that Chriſt hath appointed ſuch an Ordination, either in the manner of adminiſtration, or in the meanes of coming by it? hath Chriſt appointed you to ſue, and make meanes to a Prelate and ride manie myles with letters of comendations, & pay all fees that are due (wee ſpeake within our compaſſe) to get Ordination? Did Th-appoſtles ever ordeyne Paſtor but before, or in the preſence of the flock? did anie ever go and ſue or ſeeke to Th-appoſtles to be ordeyned? and when anie were ordeyned did they kneele downe at Th-appoſtles feet? and did Th-appoſtles bid them receive the holy ghoſt? is this the manner and meanes ſet downe in the ſcriptures of coming by Ordination? and if it be not, how dare you ſeeke and ſubmitt your ſelves to it. Will you ſay that Chriſt hath appointed no certen due order and meanes of Ordination? then do you blaſpheme in ſaieing the rules and examples of the new Teſtament are vncerten rules of direction, and ſo make you Chriſt p. 93not ſo faithfull as Moſes. Is the holy Ordinance of laying on of hands one of the doctrines of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2. and may it be come by, by anie meanes, or from anie perſons yea even from the Pope? and you approve of it as you do, ſeeing you have no Miniſtery but from Rome, it is the roote from whence all your Miniſtery is ſprung, and the Wild Olive wherein you are all by your Ordination engrafted: and therefore as the roote is, ſuch are the branches: and the roote you all confeſſe is moſt vnholy, and ſo doth the lord judg you, you evill ſervants out of your owne monethes, you are all moſt vnholy, and falſe Prophetts, the Prophetts of the Beaſt, and not of Chriſt in that you are not Elected, and Ordeyned by the rules of Chriſt and have not the word of God nor teſtimony of your flocks for your true entrance.

What can you now have to ſay for this your Office thus vniuſtly come by? except you will plead poſſeſſion (how vniuſtly ſoever it be come by) for a good title, and ſo juſtify Ahabs poſſeſſion of Naboths vineyard, when Iezabell had ſlayne the right owner thereof. As the lord liveth, no leſſe, but much more is the wickednes of your poſſeſſion, in that the Beaſt hath troden vnderunder foote and crucified the Sonne of God Reuel. 11.8. and ſitts as God in the Temple of God, and hath appointed you his Preiſts to ſerve at the Alter, and thus have you conſented together in evill, and trample vnderunder foote the Teſtament which Chriſt hath purchaſed with his blood, and have broken into the ſheepfold of the lord like theeves and robbers and do nothing but ſteale, kill, and deſtroy: for you diſtroy all the people that ſubmitt to your Miniſtery, in that you bring them thereby vnderunder the power p. 94of the Beaſt, you haveing fallen downe on your knees and worſhipped the Beaſt, receiving your ſpirit and Office from the Beaſt, and the people are all partakers of this ſinne in that they admitt of you in your Office, and thereby yeild that power which Chriſt hath reſerved, in his owne body, (which is his Church) vntounto the Beaſt: ſo are you all diſpiſers of the law of God, and have given away his holy Ordinance of Election and Ordination, which he hath by his owne word and Spirit appointed in his Church you have given Chriſts honor herein vntounto the Beaſt: and ſo are all both Preiſts and people worſhippers of the Beaſt and his jmage, and have received his marke, and therefore ſhall you all drinke of the mere wyne of the wrath of God, if you repent not Reuel. 14.9.10.

And thus much to the miniſtery of the Puritane profeſſion, to prove them all falſe Prophetts, as thoſe that runne and God hath not ſent them, their Election and Ordination to their Office, and their poſſeſſion of their Office being moſt vnholy and vniuſt, not being according to the exact rule of the law of Chriſt Ieſus diſtinctly and moſt perfectly ſet downe in the new Teſtament, which he hath purchaſed & ſealed vntounto vsus, with his blood, to ſtand for a law of Election and Ordination for ever: vntounto which who ſoever addeth or taketh away either in word or action, by Doctrine or example, the Lord will add vntounto them. all his judgments, and take away all his mercies Reuel. 22.18.19.

You being thus by the word of truth all declared and proved to be falſe Prophetts, not haveing entred into the ſhepefold by the dore, it muſt needs p. 95follow according to the words of the Lord, that all the great ſignes and wonders that you ſhew in this your falſe miniſtery are lying ſignes and wonders.

Let it not be grevious vntounto you to heare of theſe thinges whereby to provoake you to wrath, but let it be grevious to you, that you thus ſinne, and ſo be provoaked to indignation againſt your ſelves, that you may come to repentance.

Here is all your Zeale of wonder, and ſignes of ſo great fervency, whereby you worke vponupon the blind conſciences and ignorant affections of the ſimple deceaved ſoules, proved to be falſe and deceaveable: all your fire wherewith you kindle the harts of men, and ſeduce ſimple woemen, makeing them beleeve you have brought it from heaven, all this is but the falſe enlightning and heat of a falſe ſpirit, even of that ſpirit which your ſpirituall Lord breathed vponupon you, when you kneeled on your knees before him, and he laid his hands vponupon you, and moſt blaſphemouſly, even in the high diſhonor of the ſpirit of grace, bad you receive the holy ghoſt, by and in the power of this ſpirit do you preach and pray, and do all your great wonders, and other ſpirit have you none, for this is the ſpirit to which you have ſubmitted, and by this ſpirit onelyonly are you ſent, and therefore are you all falſe Propheets, and you have not the ſpirit of God abiding in you, ye are gone out of the way, ye have cauſed manie to fall, ye have broken the Covenant of levi, in that you are admitted to the Order of Prieſthood by the Man of ſinne p. 96who is an adverſary againſt God, to whoſe blaſphemous conſecrating of Preiſts directly contrary and oppoſite to the holy eſtabliſhed ordinance of Ieſus Chriſt in the Goſpell … the ſpirit of God can give no approbation …, neither admitt of ſuch to be the Prophetts of God (that have not entred by Chriſt the true doore and way, but have entred by him that ſitts as God in the Temple of God) but adiudgeth you all to be falſe Prophetts.

Leave of therefore your great daies of humiliation by faſting and praier, wherein ſometymes you make the people to Cover the Alter with teares, and whereby ſome of you have taken vponupon you to caſt out manie Devills, goeing on to the hight in ſhewing ſignes and lying wonders, to deceave if it were poſſible the very Elect according to the propheſie of Chriſt which is thus fulfilled in you. Kindle fire vponupon the alter of the Lord no more in vaine, the Lord hath no pleaſure in you. neither will accept an Offering at your hand, but will curſe you as deceavers, who vow a holy Offering, but bring a Corrupt Sacrifice vntounto the Lord Mala. 1.14. and all this you do, and ſhall do, ſo long as you ſerve in your Office and Miniſtery, received by the power and authority of the Man of ſinne, contrary to the holy Ordinance of Election and ordination appointed by Chriſt in the new Teſtament.

p. 97And now al theſe thinges we dare not but thinke you have done, and do through ignorance. Amend your lives therefore and turne, that theſe your great and grevious ſinnes may be put away, when the time off refreshing shal come from the preſence of the Lord. And take heed both you, and al the people that do with ſuch admiration runne after you, as wee our ſelves have done (wee ſpeake it to our owne ſhame) take heed leaſt that now your ignorāt zeale and fiery ſpirits of error wherewith you have enflamed the harts off the ſimple, being diſcovered, take heed leaſt you boyle in great heat, & gnawe your tongues for ſorrow, & blaſpheme the God of heaven for your paines, & for your ſores, & repent not of your works, as is propheſied men ſhal do, Revel. 16.9-11. From which hieſt meaſure off ſinne the Lord for his Chriſts ſake deliver you, and through Gods grace wee wil hope better thinges off you, which the Lord grant we may find in you, for the Lord knowes our vnfained harts diſire is, that you might al be ſaved. And we exhort the people off God no longer to harken to the voice off ſtraingers, but that they flee from them, according to the Counſel of our Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. Ioh. 10.5. And let the people ſee with their owne eies, how you have al ſhewed your ſelves to bee hirelings, which are not the Shepherds, neither the sheepe are your owne, in that ſeing the wolfe coming, you have fledd, and left the ſheepe, nay manie of you even of thoſe that are accounted moſt faithful and holy, have, and do go your ſelves and lead Your flocks to heare the voice of ſtrangers that are ſet vp, and ſtand vp in that Office, and publique place, which you challeng for your owne, and are glad your ſelves to preach in corners: Others of you make a ſecret compoſition with the Hyrarchy (which you profeſſe to abhor) and then heir ſome wretched mā vnderunder you, to ſurplice ād croſſe, p. 98and ſinne for you. Oh how hateful and abhominable are the works off darknes of this kind, which are done off you in the light, and al this vnderunder a great ſeeming ſhew off holines, but is meere hypocriſie ād diſſimu…ation becauſe you are hirelings and not good ſhepeherds, who would lay downe their lives for their sheepe, rather then lead them into the hand of the deſtroyer: and if you deny them to bee theeves and robbers that come into your places, ād are made paſtors over your flocks, againſt your wils, and againſt the mynd off the flock: then muſt you needs acknowledg them true ſhepeherds over the flock, and that they have come in by the doore, ād acknowledg your ſelves iuſtly thruſt out, ſeeing you in your iudgments hold but one Paſtor over a flock.

Wee wil not follow you in theſe perticulers, except further occation be offered. But remember how you compare your fellow Preiſts to Circumcellions or Fryers, goeing vp and downe with the biſhops bulls like beggers, to ſee where they can get entertainment and ſee not al this while your ſelves, yea ſome of your cheife ſpirits for working lying wonders, ſtand in the market place to be hired from the Eaſt to the weſt, ād to be tranſported frō North to South, whereſoever you can get a good Towne pulpit, or a privileged Chappel a great Chamber or dyning parlor to adminiſter in, how prophane ſoever the Towne or houſhold be, you wil not let to make thē all partakers of the holy thinges at firſt, before you knowe your ſhepe, or your ſhepe knowe you, contrary to Chriſts owne works. Ioh. 10.14. And al the power you have to adminiſter is, by the authority of the Biſhops bull, which you have in ſo great contempt, and yet it is all the ſeale of your admittance to your miniſterie, and warrant for your adminiſtration therein, a moſt ſit warrant for p. 99ſuch adminiſtrations. Oh that you could ſee theſe thinges, if you have anie, the leaſt love of God in you caſt of al theſe abhominations, ād become the diſciples of Chriſt, and preach Chriſt in his owne ordinance as his diſciples did. Act. 11.19. which if you wil not doe, bu… runne on in the heate of your blind zeale in this your falſe miniſterie, thē ſhal you be found to be thoſe falſe prophets that come in shepes clothing, of whome our Saviour Chriſt hath fore told, Mat. 7.22. that ſhal ſay, Lord, Lord, have wee not by thy name propheſied? & by thy name caſt out Devils? & by thy name done manie great workes? To whome he wil anſwere: I never knewe you. depart from me ye that worke iniquity. Let this ſuffice to have proved by Gods word, that your Election and Ordination to the Office off your miniſterie is not off God: and that you have not entred in by the doore, but have climed vp another way, and therefore are theeves & robbers, falſe Prophets, hierlings, ſtraingers, whoſe voices Chriſts ſheepe knowe not, but they flee from you and wil not followe you. Ioh. 10.5. And by this are all they that heare you, and followe you, moſt plainly proved vp the moſt evident words off Chriſt, that they are no one of them his ſheepe: for he ſaith: His Sheepe knowe his voice, & followe him, & they wil not followe a ſtrainger, for they knowe not his voice. And this is al the comfort that Gods word doth afford anie one of you in your flocks that followe you, they are not Chriſts Sheepe. And this is all the comfort that the people can have off you. You are not Chriſts Sheepherds: ſo are you like people like Preiſt, like Sheepherds like Sheepe. And you ſhall periſh everie Man for teaching and drawing them after you, becauſe you are falſe Prophetts and are not ſent of God: and the People ſhall periſh everie one off them, p. 100for hearing and following you becauſe you are ſtraingers and hirelings▪ iff you and they repent not Luk. 13.3. This is the word off the Lord, the which you ſhal neither al nor anie one off you bee able to gainſay, for you ſhal never bee able whilſt heaven and Earth endureth to make anie ſhew from Gods word for your entrance into your Office off miniſtery, and then are you vtterly confounded in al your waies, ād al the people that follow you.

Wee have ſpoken ſharply vntounto you as it may bee thought, and if wee have not wee had need, ſeeing you have bene ſo often ſpoken vntounto, off this your falſe miniſtery, and that with excellent words, and yet you have not regard…, which might diſcomfort vsus in you and diſcorage vsus in our owne ſimple playnnes: But the love of Gods glory which (through his grace) wee hold moſt precious, and the longing diſire off our ſoules after your ſalvation: and the ſalvation of this whole land which is ſo deare vntounto vsus, and wee ſo much wiſh and pray for: And the hope and aſſurance we have of Gods merciemercy and power to prevaile by weake meanes, theſe cauſes have ſtirred vsus vp, driven vsus on, and encoraged vsus to ſpeake thus vntounto you. And wee pray you by the name off Ieſus, that as there is anie purpoſe off hart in you to feare God, and walke-in his waies, or anie love in you to this people, whome you are bound ſo much to regard, with al faithful carefulnes, make haiſt to reforme your owne waies, and to enforme this people in the way to life, and ſalvation, according to the ſtrict rule off Gods word, and do not ſtil lead them on in the way to death and condemnation, according to the new inventions off your owne harts, and old traditions off other men.

Wee will now returne to ſpeake a few words off p. 101your ground, and reaſons (or rather excuſes) that cauſe you to vndergo theſe thinges whereoff you cry out ſo much for reformation. One …: becauſe it is vnderunder a Chriſtian King. Wee demaund off you, how iff the King ſhould bid you truely enforme him, whether it were more lawful for a Chriſtian King to reſtraine the Church off ſome off the Ordinances which Chriſt hath appointed, then for a Heathen King? It can not bee that you would tell the King that a Chriſtian King might more Lawfully do ſuch evill, then a Heathen King, iff you ſhould, you would make Chriſtianity a liberty …o ſin, which may not bee: why then iff a Chriſtian King may not more lawfully do ſuch evil (evil ſure you hold it to be, els why cry you out ſo much for reformation) neither may you more lawfully obey him in ſuch evil, then a heathen King. Leave off ſuch deceitfull pretences and vaine ymaginations for the which iff you ſhould bee required warrant out off Gods Word, you would eaſily ſee that it is but an excuſe off a falſe ſhewe. The Diſciples off Chriſt, who were moſt obedient ſubiects, and taught you and vsus all obedience vntounto our King, yet they would not be reſtrained in the cauſes off God, but choſe rather to obey God then men, and rather to ſuffer impriſonmēt and beating, then to bee reſtrained either of preaching or practicing anie off the ways off God although they were commaunded, impriſoned & beaten by the High Preiſt, the Counſel, and al the Elders off Iſrael that were no heathen Governors. Act. 5. Thoſe were faithful diſciples and were content to obey in al ſufferings And ſuch obedience ſhould you have ſubmitted vntounto, iff your harts had bene vpright to God and the King herein: but you have al bene found deceitful vponupon the weights ād lighter then vanity it ſelff in theſe thinges when you came to trial, and have dawbed with vntempered morter, and no marvil though you fel, becauſe p. 102the lord was not your ſtrēgth in that you ſought not the right way, but would have eſtabliſhed a Preſbitary Hyrarchie, and a decreing Synod, which would have bene no more pleaſing to God then an Hyrarchie off Arch Biſhops and Lord Biſhops, and a Canonical Convocatiō houſe: for they have both one mynd with the Beaſt, and give the right hād off fellowſhip one to āother, ſeeking ād exerciſing one power, which is, to rule over mens conſciences by their owne lawes and decrees. Therefore ſtrive no more for that your waie. the Lord wil ever be againſt you in it: For iff a Ruling Preſbitary by their Synodal decrees and ordinances bee lawful, then why not a Ruling Prelacy by Convocation Canons lawfull? and then why not a Ruling Pope? Theſe are all off one Condition in their degrees, and not anie one of them more pleaſing to God then another, although they bee every one more ſinful in their degrees then other, yet they al aboliſh Chriſts ruling power: but if they repent not, Chriſt wil crush them with a ſepter of iron, & breake them in peeces like a potters veſſel. and wil rule his people with his Septer of righteouſnes.

Your next ground and cauſe off vndergoing theſe thinges, you ſo much diſlike, is, becauſe you are loath to breake the peace of the Church. Where you have learned to vndergo ſinne for peace ſake we knowe not but ſure we are of God you have not learned it. Paul and Barnabas had not learned your leſſon therein, for if they had, they would not have made ſuch great diſſention in the Church at Antiochia as they did about the doctrine of circumciſiō: If Paul had bene of your peaceable mynds, he would (ſeing he had ſuffered Tymothy to be circumciſed for peace ſake) alſo have ſuffered a little the doctrine of circūciſiō, but he would not. Furthermore Thapoſtle comaunds the Church. Rō. p. 10316.17. To avoid, or have no fellowship with thoſe that cauſe diviſion & offences cōtrary to the doctrine which they had learned. And the ſame Apoſtle warnes the Theſ. (2. Theſ. 3.6) In the name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt that they withdraw themſelves from every brother that walketh inordinately' & not after the inſtructiō which they had received. Now if there be in you anie cōſciēce of the Religion of God, ſee how corruptly you walke in theſe things, making a shew of godlines but denying the power thereof. Do not your brethren the Archbiſhops and Lordbiſhops with Archdeacons, Chacellors, and the reſt, cauſe diviſions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned? and do they not walke inordinately and worſe too, and not after the inſtructions that both you, and they have received of Thapoſtles? how then is it, that you wil not (according to the Apoſtles comaundment, exhortatiō, and ſo ſtrait warning) avoid them, ād have no fellowſhip with them, and with draw your ſelves from them? is this your peace a Godly peace? which is ſo contrary to the whole word of God. Beſides this wee muſt tel you (beare it patiently) that it is but ignorant diſſimulation in you to ſay, you vndergo all theſe thinges becauſe you would not breake the peace off the Church, for if you did ſo much tender the peace off the Church as you pretend, and that you would not have your beloved ſtirred vp, nor wakened before ſhe pleaſe, why then have you written ſo manie bookes off open contempt? Why have you ſought ſo much, and made challenge for diſputations, why doe you make ſo manie loude outcries and dayly complaints and tedious Parliament ſuites? How can you poſſibly device more vnpeaceable courſes, except you ſhould raiſe tumults contrary to the law of God and of the King (which we know is not in your thoughts) you can no way device to bee more vnpeaceable: p. 104Had it not bene a much more peaceable courſe quietly to have ſeperated with love and humility; then to have ſtirred vp ſo much bitter ſtrife in the boſome off the Church whoſe peace you pretend ſo much is regard. Oh that you could ſee that it is your owne peace that you reſpect in al this. For what breatch off peace had it bene in the Church, iff you al had peaceably withdrawne yourſelves, and loveingly admoniſhed the Church holding it a true Church as you do, had it not bene much more peace, and much leſſe troble for the Church iff you had ſo done? There is no queſtion it had: but whether your peace and profit would have followed, is the queſtion, and take heed that bee not the cauſe of your (for peace as you call it) vndergoing off theſe things. Wee could ſpeake largly of this point, but wee ſpare you, onelyonly wiſhing you not to perſwade your ſelves, nor to make the people thinke that you have ſuffered great things, whilſt you eate the fat of the Land, but knowe this, all you that eate anie bread from whoſe hands ſoever, by, or in reſpect of your Office of miniſtery, that you feed off the portion of his meat, whome you ſeeke to deſtroy, fulfilling the propheſie of Dan. 11.26. Where he propheſieth of the deſtruction of the Man of ſinne, ſaying They that feed of the portion of his meat shal deſtroy him. And may not the ſimple vnderſtand, that you getting your bread by that Office, which Office (as is proved) you have and execute by the power and vnderunder the authority of the man of ſinne, you feed of the portion of his meat, ſerving at his alter, and ſo eate you of the things that apperteyne to that Alter, you gayning them by that Office. And let al the poople knowe of all Eſtates and degrees whatſoever that give you anie maintenance or entertainment in reſpect of that Office, entertaning you as Prophets, they ſhal never receive a Prophets reward, but ſinne p. 105againſt God, in maintening and entertaning falſe Prophets, although they bee as full off good meanings as the Papiſts are in entertaning their preiſts. Wee have not the leaſt intent herein of diſwading anie frō doeing good vntounto you, but that they ſhould not receive you, nor give you a Cup of cold water in the name of Prophets, for al their liberalitie beſtowed vponupon you in that regard ſhall never receive recompence of reward at Gods hands, ſeeing you are all falſe Prophets, and ſo adiudged by Chriſt himſelfe in that you have not entred by Chriſt into the ſheepfold. And if you ſhal anie of you open your mouethes to defend your ſelves herein, the word of the Lord ſhall convince you, and ſtopp your mouthes, that you ſhal not bee able to ſpeake with anie vnderſtanding. And now wee adviſe you to bee aſhamed, to plead that you doe vndergo theſe thinges for the peace off the Church, except you wil hold your peace: For you are wiſe enough to knowe that there is no other way to breake the inward peace of the Church, which peace you muſt needs meane, for it is not in your powers nor hartes, to breake the outward peace of the Church, and there is no other way to breake the inward peace of the Church, but by words and writings of oppoſition and contention, and makeing deviſion, al which you have practiſed to the vttermoſt of your powers, and when for feare of your owne peace you durſt go no further, then have you ſett out your bookes of vnknowne Authors (which therein are no better then Libels) wherein you have no regard what troubles and diſſentions you make in the Church ſo you can preſerve your owne peace. And thus do you mainteine by al force and violēce of contention a moſt trobleſome civil war, which of all is moſt dangerous in Church and Comon wealth, and yet you profeſſe you ſuffer and vndergo al theſe evils p. 106you complaine of, becauſe you tender the peace of the Church, and ſo through ignorance you fall into great diſſimulation and hypocriſie, it being (if you could ſee) onelyonly your owne peace you ſeeke, and therefore it is you vndergo theſe things that you diſaprove off: For would you not if you might (without danger or loſſe) reforme your ſelves and as manie as you could? according to that reformation you ſue for: your owne conſciences can tel you, you would If the King at firſt had made a law, that al ſhould have bene in ſubiection to the Biſhops power and Goverment in the Church, but he would have no man puniſhed by impriſonment nor put out of their liveings that ſhould refuſe, would you not al that make anie conſcience off your waies have reformed? If you would not then the reformation you plead for, is not needful except the King wil approve of it, and ſo have you ſtriven al this while about needles things, if the Kings comaundment may diſanul the neceſſitie of them, then are they needful, if the King wil permit, if not your reformatiō may be ſpared, ād ſo ought you not to have gainſaied it, as you have done.

And in this doth your iniquitie greatly abound in that you make ſo ſmale a matter off thoſe thinges, wherein you in iudgment differ from the Lord Biſhops, ſeeing the difference is no leſſe then for the whole Goverment off Chriſt in his Church. And the Lord give you and al his people Grace duely to conſider off it, how greatly you diſhonor Chriſt, and make a mock off him, when you profeſſe him to bee your King, and yet ſay his Goverment is not of abſolute neceſſitie, ſo do you hold it of abſolute neceſſitie, to give him the name off a King, but not to give him the power of a King, what great impietie off high contempt is this? What earthly King would endure p. 107this at his ſubiects hands? Iff you ſhould do ſo by our Lord the King off Great Brittanne, acknowledg him to bee your Lord and King, and call him by that name and title, and bend and bow to him with words of al reverence, but wholy ſubmit your ſelves to bee Governed by the lawes and Officers off a forreyne power, and that by Rebellious ſubiects who ought to bee obedient vntounto the King, and yet are ſet vp as Kings, and take the Kings power from him, were you not al worthy to bee accounted traytors and Rebels? and would not the King caſt you all out off his Kingdome, or deſtroy you al in it? would the king bee ſatiſfied withall your words off flattery that you could vſe in acknowledging him, and calling him by the name off your King, when he ſhould ſee hee had no power to Governe you by his lawes and Officers but that you did ſubmitt to bee ruled by the Lawes and Officers off his Rebellious ſubiects and enimies: Would our Lord the King endure this? Haveing power in his hand to avenge himſelff off you: would he not after his often proclamations made and his manie meſſingers ſent vntounto you, to commaund you to come from vnderunder thoſe Governors, and that Goverment, leaſt ye bee deſtroyed with them: and to ſubmit your ſelves to him, and he will bee your King and your defence: if for al this you would not harken and obey, would not the King come with his power according to his word, and deſtroy you all together that would not ſuffer him to rule over you. Certenly the King would do it in iuſtice, and for his owne honor, and haveing proteſted it with his word. Evē ſo be you ſure wil Chriſt Ieſus your king do by you all, if you ſtand ſtil in rebellion againſt him, ſubmitting your ſelves to that rebellious Hyrarchie of arch B. and lord B. who ought to be his ſubiects, but are his enimies, ād exalt thēſelves above him, governing you by aforteyne p. 108power and Goverment, and not by Chriſts power and goverment, and the kings proclamations are come vntounto you, comaunding you to Come out from among them, and ſeperate your ſelves, and be his Children and people: And he will receive you. and bee your God and Father. 2. Cor. 6. And Go out of hir my people that ye bee not partakers of his ſinnes, & that you receive not of hir plagues. Revel. 18. Thus doth Chriſt Ieſus your King cal vntounto you, and if you will not yet harken to his voice, but flatter with your tongues and ſay, you acknowledg him to bee your King, but ſubmit not to bee governed by his power, he wil certenly in his iuſtice for his honor, haveing proteſted it by the word of his mouth, come againſt you al, and give you the Cup off the Wine of the feircnes of his wrath. Revel. 16.19. Oh people deſtitute of vnderſtanding, Oh Nation not worthy to be loved: Can you thinke in your mynds that God hath given all earthly Kings, power to make good lawes, to rule and governe their people by, and comaunded their ſubiects to be obedient thervnto. And hath he not given Chriſt Ieſus his beloved Sonne, (whome he hath ſet vponupon Davids throne for ever, and made King over his people Iſraell) power to make true lawes and good ordinances to governe and rule his people by? and hath he not comaunded al his ſubiects to be obediēt thervnto? wil no king of power ſuffer his ſubiects to ſubmit thēſelves to be governed by the govermēt of anie other, ād ſo to be deprived of that goverment which God hath given them over their ſubjects: and can you bee ſo vnwiſe to thinke that Chriſt Ieſus who is a King of greateſt power, will ſuffer it in his ſubiects? Can you not ſee that a King is no King if his Goverment over his people bee taken away, and can you thinke that Chriſt may bee a King without his goverment? What vanitie doth poſſeſſe p. 109your minds whilſt you make ſo ſmale a matter off Chriſts goverment, ſaying you differ with the Biſhops in no fundamental point, but onelyonly in matter of Goverment. See (if there bee anie ſight in you) if the Lord Biſhops power of goverment were taken away, where were their kingdome? their names and titles would not ſupport their kingdome, and this they ſee, and you find by their Can. 7. Anno 1603. which they have made for the firme eſtabliſhing off their Goverment, knowing it to bee fundamental, without the which, their kingdome would preſently come to nought even in one houre, even ſo have they brought Chriſts Kingdome to nought amongſt you, by takeing his goverment from him. Who hath be witched you thus to ſay and teach, and ſeduce the ſimple as though goverment were no fundamentall point: knowe you not what Goverment is? Can you devide Chriſts goverment (as hee is a King) from his power, or his power from this goverment? Will you make him a king without goverment? Wherein then is he a King otherwiſe then in name? If the Lord-Biſhops ſhould compel you to denie Chriſt off the name of a king, in, or over his Church, would you not then ſay, they overthrew a fundamentall point off faith? And have you not vnderſtanding to deferne, that the power or Goverment of a King is off farr greater authoritie then the name of a king, and were it not a much leſſe matter for a king to bee deprived of the name and title of a king, then of the power and goverment of a king. Let the ſimple iudg whether is greater, a king of great power and goverment, or a king of great name and title. Let them contend, and ſee who ſhall get the victorie. All this wee ſet downe to ſhewe, how greatly you do er through ignorance that cannot deſerne that power and govermēt in earthly kings is much greater thē name and title, p. 110and therefore you err in Common iudgment: But you do err much more in ſpirituall iudgment in that you cannot deſerne Chriſts name, and power off goverment to bee of equall eſtima…ion, for if you doe not hold al thinges in Chriſt, and all things of Chriſt, to bee equall, and of like condition or proportion, you overthrow the nature and propertie off God: as thus: Al the Graces of Chriſt in himſelf are equall a like: and al his workes are equal a like. It was all one with God to make Behemoth ſpoken of, Iob. 40. and the Piſmice Pro. 30. and God eſtemeth thē both a like: ſo al the word of God is a like ād of like power and authoritie, as Chriſt himſelf ſheweth, when an expounder of the law aſked him, which is the firſt and great Comaundement? Ieſus anſwered. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with al thy hart, ſoule, and mynd, this is the firſt and the great Comaundement▪ & the ſecōd is like to this. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. And thapoſtle Iames makes it moſt plaine that the comaundements of God are all of like power and authoritie, and al of like neceſſitie to be obeyed: ād the holy ghoſt doth ſhewe an evident reaſon, wherefore everie comaundement is a like to be obeyed, and why the breaking of one is the breaking of al, becauſe (ſaith the holy Ghoſt by Thapoſtle) he that comaunded one comaunded al. Iam. 2.10.11. From which ground of truth wee thus ſpeake vntounto you in the words of the holy ghoſt: He that hath comaunded in the Church, the true preaching of the word, true baptiſme, and true adminiſtration of the Lords ſupper: The ſame God hath comaunded alſo true goverment in the Church: therefore although you ſhould have the word of God truely preached, and baptiſme and the ſupper of the Lord truely adminiſtred, yet iff you have a falſe Goverment▪ you are tranſgreſſors of the whole law of God, and gilty of al.

Thus doth the word of God diſaprove ād vtterly condēne p. 111that blaſphemous doctrine of pous whereby you fearefully deceive your ſelves, and the people of God, whilſt you hold and teach that Chriſts goverment in his Church is not fundamētall And beſides the word of God we have endeavored to ſhew you that in al humane ſence and vnderſtanding, a king that hath not the power of govermēt over his ſubiects, but they ſubmit to the goverment of ſtrang lords, they are diſobediēt ād rebellious, ād give their king onelyonly the name of King: ād ſuch ſubiects are you, giveing Chriſt onelyonly the name of a king, but give his power of goverment to ſtrang lords, your lord Archb. and Biſhops, who enlarge you by their ſpirit, and you are enlarged, and who reſtraines you by their power, and you are reſtrained, who ſets you vp for ſhepherds, when you pleaſe thē, ād puts you downe like hirelings whē you offend thē: who if they deſtroy your flock before your faces, and you ſtand by you dare not aid thē, but give Councel for peace, to ſubmit to their crueltie, although they ſhould condemne your moſt innocēt, and iuſtifie the moſt gilty: and al this evil ād much more you iuſtly bring vponupon your ſelves, and the people, in teaching and profeſſing, that you differ not frō the Lord Bs. in any fundamētal point, making and accounting there by the goverment which Chriſt hath appointed in his Church not to be fundamental, wherein you ſinne againſt God with an high hād, makeing Chriſt Ieſus a vaine Lawgiver whilſt by your practice and profeſſion both in deeds ād words you declare that the Ordinances of Chriſt, which he hath appointed for the whole goverment of his Church, are not of abſolute neceſſitie, and fundamētal. If the Iewes had ſo ſaid and practiced againſt the ordināces which they received for the goverment of the Tēple and Tabernacle, and appointing the officers by the mouth of Moſes, it had made an vtter cōfuſiō of al, ād they muſt have died. And behold a greater thē Moſes is here, giveing p. 112ordinances for the goverment of his Temple ād Tabernacle, and for the ordeining of Officers, againſt which iff you reſiſt, and admit of anie other you muſt dye, except you repent Heb. 10.28.29. and 12.25. for you make an vtter confuſion of al. Oh that you would but looke with your eies and ſee, what a confuſion it would have brought into the Temple and Tabernacle, if anie other Officers, and anie other goverment had bene brought in, then Moſes appointed, had not all their ſacrifices and ſervices bene polluted ād moſt abhominable to the Lord? would Moſes ever have endured it, and would Aaron have conſented there vntounto? They would not: and if all the people had, they al had bene deſtroied with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who would have overthrowne the goverment and Officers of the temple, for the Lord would have bene as iuſt in his iudgment vponupon al, as vponupon ſ…me. Oh that you would conſider this, and forget not God, leaſt he teare you in peeces, and there bee none that can deliver you. Are the Lawes and Ordinances given by Ieſus Chriſt for the govermēt of his Temple and Tabernacle, and appointing of his Officers, not ſo perfit, as thoſe that was given by Moſes? and wil not the bringing in of anie other Officers and goverment into the Church of Chriſt then hee hath appointed, cauſe as great as confu…ion, as it would have done in the Temple? and ſhal not al the ſacrifices and ſervices be polluted, and moſt abhominable? as theirs would have beene: wil Chriſt Ieſus the Mediator, and high Preiſt endure it, or conſent vntounto it, anie more then Moſes and Aaron would have done? if you ſay he would then you make Chriſt leſſe faithful then Moſes, and make his Church, leſſe holy then the Temple was, and his lawes and Ordinances not to pe…fit, as thoſe that were given by Moſes, and ſo ſhal the tranſgreſſion againſt them deſerve leſſe puniſhment: but p. 113but all the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and Chriſt Ieſus himſelf teſtifieth the contrarie to this, as you know right wel, and moſt eſpecially the Author to the Hebrewes handleth theſe thinges at large, ſhewing that the Temple, Tabernacle, and al the Officers, and offices, and ordinances off adminiſtration for Goverment and ſervice, given by Moſes, were but a paterne, shadowe, and ſimilitude of the Heavenly Temple and Ordinances eſtabliſhed and given by Chriſt, who is the Mediator of a better Teſtament, eſtabliſhed vponupon better promiſſes, and is the High Preiſt of a more perfect Tabernacle: and hath purified al the ordinances with a better blood, & he is faithful as Moſes, & is worthy off more glory & honor. Heb. 8.5.6. and 9.11.23. and 3.2.3. and he wil puniſh with much ſorer punishment, thoſe that diſpiſe his Law, then Moſes could. Heb. 10.28.29. Therefore take heed to your ſelves for you have brought an vtter confuſion vponupon the houſe of God, by ſubmitting vntounto another goverment and other Officers then Chriſt hath appointed in his Church, and ſo are al your ſacrifices and ſervices polluted, as theirs would have bene in the Temple, iff they had permitted anie ſuch thinge: and if the Goverment of the Temple was fundamental, how much more the goverment of the Church of Chriſt. Bee wiſe in ſpiritual wiſedome, and then you wil yeild, that true goverment is of as abſolute neceſſitie in the Church of Chriſt vnderunder the Goſpell as it was in the Temple vnderunder the Law. And if you will bee of vnderſtanding according to all the vnderſtanding off men, you wil confeſſe that a kings owne goverment, by his owne lawes and Ordinances is fundamental and of abſolute neceſſitie in his owne kingdome, and over his owne ſubiects, or els he is a king but onelyonly in name, and not in power: then muſt you needs confeſſe that Chriſts Goverment is of abſolute neceſſitie p. 114and fundamental in his Kingdome, or els you make him but a king in name: and how can you in all true iudgment, but acknowledg that it is much better, to have the power and goverment of a King, without the name of King, then to have the name of a King, and not the power and goverment of a King. And therefore you might as well ſubmitt to the Lord Biſhops to take away Chriſts name of a King, as ſubmit to take away from him the power and govermēt of a King: but therein lyes the depth of the miſterie of iniquitie in the man of ſinne, in takeing wholly from him his power, and yet profeſſing his name: and here by are al the Nations of the Earth deceived, and this it is that blinds you al, becauſe you have the profeſſiō off Chriſts name amongſt you, ſaying he is your king, this makes you reſt ſatiſfied, although you yeild vntounto him no one thinge els that apperteynes to his Kinglie Office, but onelie the name and title off a King. That wee may make this plaine vntounto you (for you ſee it not) that you give Chriſt onelie the name off a King in your Church, wee ſhewe it vntounto you thus: all that can bee given to a King off his ſubiects, is to give vntounto him all the titles off honor due vntounto his name, and to ſubmitt in obedience vntounto his power: This is al that God requireth to himſelf in the 1.2.3. and 4. Commaundements. And this muſt everie King have, their name, and power, and eſpecially Chriſt our King: Now the name of a King you give vntounto Chriſt, but no power of a King: The which that it may appeare evidentlie vntounto the ſimple wee pray you to conſider that all the power of a king cōſiſts in punishing the evil doers, & rewarding the wel doers, as is proved Rom. 13.1-4. where Thappoſtle ſhewes, that al the powers that are, they are of God, ād they are to this end onelyonly, to punish the evil, & reward the good. Speake now vprightly before God ād men, hath Chriſt this power in your Church? and are his p. 115Officers and people permitted to execute it? are the good by Chriſts kinglie power cheriſhed, cōforted, ād rewarded, and are the evil by the power of Chriſt corrected and punished? hath Chriſt power by his owne ordinances, lawes, and officers, to receive ād keepe in the good, and to caſt out, and keepe the bad out off the Church? if you ſhould ſay, Chriſt hath his power in your Church, you al (called Puritanes) are condemned at once, for the moſt evil doers in the whole Church, becauſe you above al are moſt evil ſpoken of, mocked, contemned, hated, Cited, ſilenced, excomunicated, ād impriſoned: is al this done by the holie kinglie power of Chriſt? then are you the moſt evil doers, and thē are al the proud boaſters, curſed ſpeakers, malicious, covetous, and flatterers, that have peace and prefermēt in the church, weldoers, is this the power of Chriſt? if it be not as we knowe you wil al confeſſe it is not, thē muſt you needs cōfeſſe that Chriſt hath not the power off a King in the Church: For if he have no power to puniſh the evil doers, ād reward the weldoers thē hath he no manner of power by his Kinglie Office among you, and then do you give him but onelie the name of a King, and ſo do you give him no more then Pilate gave him, when he wrote a title and put it on the Croſſe. This is Ieſus the King off the Iewes. But in all this you thinke to excuſe your ſelves in that you are innocent in theſe thinges, and proteſt and ſeeke much to have it otherwiſe: even ſo was Pilate, he waſhed his hands, and would bee innocent from the Blood off that iuſt Man: Hee proteſted he ſaw no evill in him: And he ſought to looſe him, but when he ſaw hee availed not, he belivered him to the high Preiſts and Elders to bee Crucified: And thus doe you the beſt of you all, that when you cannot prevaile that Chriſt might have his power ſett vp, (as you pretend,) you p. 116deliver it into their hands that deſtroy it, and ſubmitt your ſelves vntounto them alſo. Wil you yet ſay, Chriſt is your King? When it is thus evident that he hath no power to rule over you, wil Chriſt be ſuch a King: be not deceived, God is not mocked, he wil comaund, you his enemies which would not that he should reign over you to bee ſlayne before him, if you repent not, no pretence of excuſe ſhalbee admitted for comitting of evil, neither excuſe of feare, nor of ignorance, the Lord doth teach al men every where to repent, & they that beleeve & obey shalbee ſaved, & they that do not beleeve shalbee damned, which you ſhall all bee every one of you that ſubmit to anie other goverment, then that moſt holy and bleſſed goverment which Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed in his Church, whereof he is the Head & King. And therefore the Church of Chriſt is in ſubiection in every thinge, Epheſ. 5.24. And our Saviour Chriſt wil no more bee the head nor ſavioux of ſuch a Church that ſubmits it ſelfe vntounto the power of a ſtranger, his ennimie, then anie Godly wiſe huſband wilbee the head of a wife that ſubmits hir bodie vntounto the power of another man, although ſhe make never ſo manie faire pretēces of excuſes: ād for this ēd and to ſhew al other love and duties, hath the H. ghoſt aptlie heere by Thapoſtle compared, Chriſt and his Church, and a huſband and a wife together, to teach thereby al the love and duties of Huſband and Wife one to another, and to declare all Chriſts love to his Church, and the duties of his Church to him againe: how can the holy Ghoſt by more fit and plaine compariſons to the capacitie of man ſhewe, and declare the power and love of Chriſt, over and to his church, and the ſubiection that the Church is to yeild to him in everie thinge, which ſubiection ſeeing your church, wil not yeild to Chriſt, but denies him the whole power off Goverment over it. Chriſt cannot be head p. 117off ſuch a Church, neither can your Church bee his bodie, for everie bodie is guided and Governed by it owne head, and none of a… you that are members off that bodie, are members of the bodie of Chriſt: But the ſpiritual lord Arch Biſhop and Lord Biſhop are head of your Church, in that it is in ſubiection to thē in everie thinge, as you well knowe, and therefore is it their bodie, for everie head hath it owne bodie, and you al are members of their bodie, whereof Chriſt is not the Saviour, but he is the Saviour of his owne body, which is his Church, whereof he is head. Epheſ. 5.23. The God of grace give you grace to conſider your feareful eſtates and ſtandings herein, and deliver you frō that dāgerous delightful ſecuritie wherewi…h your harts are ſo overipred, all your ſences and affections being bewitched ād raviſhed by that ware of Gold, & Silver, & al excellent mettales of pearles, & al precious ſtones, of ſilke, & ſcarlet, & al coſtly veſtures of veſſels of yvory, and of al moſt precious wood, & off Cinamon, and odours, and oyntments, & frankincenſe, and Wyne, and Oyle, and fyne floure, and wheat, and Beaſts, and Sheepe, and Horſes, and Charetts, and Servants, and Soules of Men, and Apples that your Soules luſt after. All theſe things hath the Holie Ghoſt ſet downe moſt larglie Revel. 18. to diſcover the deceiveablenes of vnrighteouſnes, in al the precious delightful ſweet, and pleaſant ſpiritual baites and ſnares that are in that your glorious profeſſiō of Puritaniſme whereby your ſoules are bewitched and raviſhed as alſo in al other profeſſions, amongſt thoſe people that are the waters, wherevpon the woman arayed in purple and Scarlet doth ſit. Revel. 17. Of which people you are in that you are in ſubiection vntounto the power of the Beaſt and his image, and therefore are al your ſacrifices oblations ād incenſe in vaine, your Propheſieings or preachings, your praiers and praiſings p. 118of God are an abhomination vntounto the Lord, your ſilver is become droſſe, your wine is mixt with water. The Lord hath covered you with a ſpirit of flumber, and hath ſhut vp your eies. Your Prophets and your cheife Seers hath he covered, becauſe you come neare vntounto him with your mouth, and honor him with your lips, in calling Chriſt your King, but you have taken Goverment from his shoulder, who is called wonderful, Councellor, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace, the increaſe of whoſe government & peace shal have no end. Eſa. 9.6.7. and here doth the Prophet ſhewe likewiſe, that he ſits vpō Davids throne, & vponupon his Kingdome to order it: but al this power you give vntounto your ſtrange Lords, and yet you crie and ſay, that Chriſt is your King. Thus do you flatter with your lips, & diſſemble with your tongues, and your waies are not vpright before the Lord.

What might we ſay to provoake you, to ſet your harts to ſeeke the lord, and to turne your feet to walke in his pathes, and your eares to harken to his voice, which ſeing you wil al with earneſtnes profeſſe to do, do it with faithfulnes, and caſt away al ignorant hipocriſie, and now that the abhomination of deſolatiō is ſet vp before your eies, heare this voice of the lord. flee into the mountaines: ād Come out of hir my people and turne not back to that which is left behind. Remeber Lots wife. Math. 24.15.16. Revel. 18.4. Luk. 17.31.32. Wee will vſe no more reaſons to prove you are not come out of Babilon, but you owne confeſſiō ſhal witnes againſt you, in that you daylie complaine of your bondage, therefore you may ſee you are in the houſe of bondage, but there is no bondage in the houſe off God, where the Children off the free Woman ſtandfaſt in the liberty, wherewith Chriſt hath made p. 119them free. Galat. 4.31. and 5.1. Why are you then ſtil in bondage, vnderunder all thoſe Ceremoniall Traditions, (which you ſay your ſoules abhor) iff you be off thoſe that Chriſt hath made free? Shall we intreat you with Godlie adviſednes, to conſider what the bondage is, and ſee how you looke to bee delivered, is not your bondage you complaine off a ſpirituall bondage? in that you are reſtrained of ſpiritual libertie in the holie things: Haveing Ceremonies and Eccleſiaſticall Lawes and Canons preſſed vponupon you, which of Conſcience you cannot obey, ſo is it plaine your bondage is ſpiritual. And how would you bee delivered from your ſpiritual bondage, ād who ſhould bee your deliverer? Can you bee delivered but by a ſpiritual power? and cā you have anie deliverer but a ſpiritual Lord? if you ſeeke to and depend vponupon anie other Lord to bee delivered from ſpirituall bondage, you take vntounto yourſelves another God, and ſet vp a ſpiritual power againſt the power of God. And whereas you ſhould put on the whole armor of God, and wreſtle againſt principalities and powers, and ſpiritual wickedneſſes, which are in the high places, and ſtand faſt, you have ſhrunck in the day of bat…le, and have not faithfully contented for the maintenance off the faith given to the Saincts. But have, and do yeild to the Spirituall wickedneſſes, which are vnderunder the power of thoſe ſpirituall Lords, the Arch Biſhops and Lordbiſhops, and have caſt of the armor, and ſword off the Spirit, wherewith you ſhould reſiſt and overcome, and wherby theſe ſpiritual wickedneſſes ſhalbee conſumed and aboliſhed, and you have taken vntounto your ſelves a direction after the device off your owne harts, ſeeking and ſueing, by petitions not to God, but to mē, that you might have leave (as you pretend) to ſett vp Chriſt for your King and Governor: and if you could get leave, you p. 120make ſhewe, as though you would reforme matters that are greatlie amiſſe: but ſeing you cannot, you are content to let them alone, and grone vnderunder them (for ſo you ſpeake) and not to bee too buſie, leaſt you ſhould make matters worſe. Of this ſame condition were the people of Iſrael, when Moſes was ſent to bring them out of Egipt, for when they ſaw that leave would not bee granted, but that more worke was laid vponupon them, and that there was danger and trouble, they would have made their peace, and have groned ſtill vnderunder their burthens as they had done, and ſo have continewed in that their bondage, as you do in your ſpiritual bondage, but the Lord was merciful vntounto them according to his owne promiſſe, and brought them out by a mightie hand, and with great ſignes and wonders: and even ſo hath the Lord promiſſed to bring his Elect (which are thoſe that harkē to the voice of his Call) out of this ſpiritual bondage of Babilon, Egipt, and Sodom, (wherein you are) by great and marvelous ſignes and wonders, as the ſpirit of God hath declared. Revel. 15. and 16. Chap. by the ſeaven Angels, which powre out the ſeaven vialls of the wrath of God vponupon the Earth: But you muſt knowe that this is a ſpirituall Prophiſie, and al theſe are ſpiritual ſignes and wonders, which the lord hath graciouſlie promiſſed to ſhew vponupon Babilon, Egipt and Sodom, (ſpirituallie ſo called) to the deſtruction and everlaſting overthrowe of the Scarlet cullored Beaſt, and the Woman that ſits vponupon him, which woman is that great Citie Babilon: and vponupon all the people that come not furth at the call of his voice. Revel. 17.18. Chap. But take heed you bee not deceived by lookeing for their things with carnal eies as the Iewes did, who looked for an earthlie King to deliver them, ſo that whē their ſpiritual king came they knewe him not, but hated him, diſpiſed him, perſecuted p. 121him, killed him, and caſt him out, and ſo remaine in tranſgreſſion and vnderunder condemnatiō vntounto this day, by the iuſt iudgment of God. Take heed leaſt you do ſo in ſueing after and ſeeking by earthlie meanes to be delivered out of your ſpiritual bondage, and when the ſpirituall meanes and way is ſhewed you, you contemne it, diſpiſe it, hate it, perſecute it, ſpeake al manner of evil againſt it, oppoſe it, reiect it, and condemne it, and ſo remaine ſtil in your tranſgreſſion, and vnderunder the condemnatiō of the iuſt iudgment of God, which the Lord hath pronounced againſt all thoſe that come not furth of Babilon, partaking thereby with hir in hir ſinnes, and ſo ſhalbe made pertakers of hir plagues, which plagues you cannot eſcape if you come not furth, but beleeve thoſe falſe Prophets that propheſie lyes vntounto you. Be not deceived by your good intents, ād meanings, and good deſires whereof you are full: Nor by your great affections of zeale wherewith you abound, above al people that we knowe or have heard of, that have anie knowledg of the Goſpel: wee ſpeake not of the ignorant zealous Papiſts that go before you and all the earth (that knowe the name of Ieſus) in theſe things, which makes them thinke their eſtates moſt happie. Take you heed leaſt you bee alſo ſtill hereby deceived: Wee confeſſe theſe are excellent things, if knowledg and faith go with them. Furthermore your obedience vntounto the ſecond and great comaundement, which is, Love thy neighbour as thy ſelf, and al the particuler dueties thereof, as Honor Parents, do not comit adultery: Kil, ſteale, beare falſe witneſſe, Covet nothinge that is thy neighbours. In theſe excellent duties verie manie of you greatly abound, and wee cannot but with great affections looke vponupon you, and love you for them, yet knowe that manie Papiſts are nothinge behind you in theſe thinges: Therefore let not theſe p. 122things deceive you as though you had all things, becauſe you have theſe. You ſee it teſtified by our Saviour Chriſt: that a man may have, or do all theſe things, and yet not follow Chriſt, as is ſhewed in the example of that excellent Ruler whome Chriſt looked vponupon and loved for thoſe excellent things in him Mark. 10.21. And therefore pleaſe not your ſelves ſo much in thoſe things, although wee acknowledg they are worthie of great comendations in you, and our ſoules are much affected to you for them: But iff you followe not Chriſt in the regeneration, that is, if you bee not borne againe of water & of the Spirit, & ſo enter into the Kingdome off Heaven, all is nothinge, as you ſee by the example of this Ruler. And Cornelius Act. 10. If he had not bene baptized with the holy ghoſt and with Water, for all his praiers and almes he had not, nor could not have entred into the Kingdome off Heaven.

Thus entered all the people off God of whoſe entrance the Scriptures give teſtimonie, either by rule or example, and therefore if there bee anie other entrance found out, it is not, nor cannot bee of God: this onelie is the doore which Ieſus Chriſt hath ſet open for all to enter in at, that enter into his Kingdome Iohn. 3.5. and the Lord ſanctifie al your harts with grace, that you may enter in thereby: For no other way off ſalvation hath Chriſt appointed but that mē firſt beleeve and bee Baptized. Mark. 16.16.

Thus have wee freely ſpoken the truth vntounto you from our harts, ſuſpect vsus not of the leaſt contempt or diſpite, iff wee ſeene ſharpe: There are multitudes of you of that Puritane profeſſion (ſo called) that knowe our love is moſt true and vnfained to you all, and that wee cannot but love and reverence you, p. 123and therefore wee cannot but the more ſeeke your reformation wiſh it, and pray for it, and wee will not give the Lord reſt therein vntill hee heare vsus, that wee may ſee your ſalvation accompliſhed.