The Oppressed Close Prisoner in Windsor Castle, Explanation of epistle · Section 2
Sect. 2.
Whereas I there do teſtifie that it was a dark and doubtful matter, which I was now about to treat of, viz. concerning the Powers in being, and the Image of the Beaſt, &c. and their owning and bowing the knee to the one, or to the other:
Queſt. It may be demanded, whether it appertains to my Office to handle ſuch points in the hearing of the Congregation at this time eſpecially, when there is ſo much need of Healing and Settlement, as the Lord General did lately plead and inculcate in the PAINTED CHAMBER; conſidering alſo (and experience proves it) that it was not underſtood by thoſe for whom it was prepared; and beſides, other Doctrine might have been ſent, tending more to the uſe of edifying.
anſw. I anſwer, That great and exceeding precious promiſe in Jer. 3. will ſufficiently ſatisfie every Honeſt Heart; where Jehovah ſaith, Jer. 3.15.And I will give you Paſtors according to m…ne own heart, which ſhall feed you with knowledge and with underſtanding; namely, Eph. 5.17. Coloſ. 4.12.that you may underſtand what the will of the Lord is, and that you may ſtand perfect and compleat, (foreign) in all the will of God, as Paul expreſſeth it to the Epheſians and Coloſſians.
Moreover; Rom. 15.1. 1 Cor. 3.1, 2. Heb. 5.13, 14. 1 John 2.13.we finde the Churches of the Saints to conſiſt of ſtrong, and of weak, of habes in Chriſt, and of ſuch as are of ripe age, of young men, and of fathers; now ſtrong meat is to be adminiſtred by every faithful ſteward of the myſteries of God, to them who are of full age, even ſuch as by reaſon of uſe, have their ſen…es exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil, for it belongs unto them, as it is written, *St…ong m…at belongeth to them who are of full age.foreign; And therefore though babes cannot feed upon ſuch Doctrine (for milk belongs to them, and accordingly it is provided) yet others who are come to ſome maturity, and would willingly know the work of their day and age, will by this means go onward to perfection.
Which Goſpel-perrection, Eph. 4.11, 12, 13.was one great end of Chriſt his giving the gifts of the Spirit unto his Churches.
Wherefore I being (as Paul in his, Rom. 1.14.ſo I in my Line) a debtor to the wiſe and to the unwiſe, it is not meet I ſhould be blamed for paying the due debt of my Office, which I owe to the whole flock of Chriſt (whereof I am made the Overſeer) by manifold obligations.
But to put a period to this Section; I anſwer further, that I had a particular call to ſpeak largely to this point about the Governments, becauſe I perceived the Church or ſome particular perſons to be under a great miſtake, even neer of kin to a groſs abſurdity, (and one abſurdity being granted, a thouſand will follow.) Now it is required and expected by the Lord Jeſus and his people, that I ſhould endeavour at leaſt to guide their feet into the way of truth, when I perceive them but begin to go aſtray. And as for the unſeaſonableneſs of handling ſuch kinde of doctrine, conſidering, as is urged, there is ſo great need of healing, and of ſilencing all debates about Powers; and Government, &c. I anſwer further, It was never the cuſtom of the faithful Miniſters of Chriſt, nor of the Prophets before them, to inquire which way the winde did blow at the Kings Court, but to promote and to perfect their Lord's work, which he had given them to do, while it was called to Day: for when the night cometh, no man can work.
That alſo of Solomon is ſuitable to this purpoſe: Eccleſ. 11.4.He that obſerveth the winde ſhall not ſow, and he that regardeth the clouds ſhall not reap. Eccleſ. 9.10.And, whatſoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goeſt.
And to ſpeak the Truth to the glory of my Lord, my not regarding any mans Perſon or Power when I am about his buſineſs, and my not taking care at any time for this twenty yeers to pleaſe men, but onelyonly God, which trieth the hearts, hath been to me of very refreſhing conſideration and remembrance upon all pertinent occaſions, ever ſince I was bound with this chain; as it is alſo at the writing hereof, as I am here ſitting before the Lord, to plead for truth with paper and ink, ſeeing I cannot, to this day, hear any tidings of meeting with my Accuſers face to face.