A Voice from Heaven, Title page – Dedication
A Voice from Heaven: OR, A TESTIMONY AGAINST The remainders of Antichriſt Yet in ENGLAND: And in particular, the Court of Tryers For Approbation of MINISTERS.
Born by GUALTER POSTLETHWAIT, Paſtor to a Church of Chriſt in Lewes in Suſſex.
LONDON, Printed for Livewel Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head-alley. 1655.
To the Saints and faithful brethren that are in England, Scotland, and Ireland; eſpecially to that little flock of God over which the holy Ghoſt hath made him overſeer;
Gualter Poſtlethwaite wiſheth grace, mercy and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord JESUS CHRIST.
Brethren and beloved,
SOme thoughts have of late (more then formerly, and more ſadly (viſited my heart, that I wiſh may prevaile more upon your hearts. Firſt, the thought of the greatneſs, the ſoveraignty and ſoveraigne perfection of God: the fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer then men, and the weakneſs of God is ſtronger then men. He is the onelyonly Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and that in the moſt undoubted right, that has made all things of nothing, by the word of his mouth, for himſelf. Vaine man would be wiſe, although he be borne like the wild aſſes colt; he will provoke God to anger, tranſgreſſe his Laws, change his ordinances, and breake the everlaſting Covenant. But who is this that darkens counſel by words without knowledge? ſhall he that contendeth with the Almighty inſtruct him? He that reproveth God, let him anſwer it. Do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we ſtronger then he? Adde not unto his words, leſt he reprove thee, and thou be found a lyar. The world, yea, the hight of the people do languiſh, becauſe the earth is defilled by deniations from the laws, ordinances, and Covenants of God: 'Tis mans deformitie, to walke according to his own invention in any thing, & will prove his own deſtruction. Can God endure to be preſcribed by creatures? Shall Man coin Laws for Rules of acceptable walking with God in Spiritual, Civil, or Eccleſiaſtical things? It would be and is horrible impudence for any to do it. All the ſin and miſery in the world, brake in at this door, viz. by hearkning to Reaſon▪ againſt Inſtitution. 'Twas Iſrael's ſin, to do that was right in their own eyes, in Civils, Judg. 17. 6. much more in Eccleſiaſticals. The Apoſtle held a war with reaſonings and thoughts of men, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. Theſe are no competent judges of the doctrine of God in Chriſt, but muſt be overthrown.
Secondly, the thought of the fatal miſcarriages of man managing any thing by his own wiſdom and ſtrength. Eve became the mother of miſchief to all living, by truſting to carnal Senſe and Reaſon in judging of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The ſons of God brought the Deluge on the old world, by taking ſuch wives as they choſe. Iſrael provoked God to anger with their own Inventions, not onelyonly in point of Worſhip, but in the matters of their Commonwealth, when they followed their own fancies, and the Cuſtoms of men; but in determining what kinde of Government to ſet up in the Nation; and were convinced of their miſtake by a ſigne from heaven, God thundering his diſpleaſure againſt them from heaven, and raining tokens of his wrath upon them: and the tyranny that followed was as teaching of the ſame, God giving them ſuch recompence of their error as was meet. Gedeon would have a new way of remembering the victory by a coſtly Ephod, and Iſrael went a whoring after it; which thing became a ſnare to Gedeon, and to his houſe. Alas! 't is but a ſhew of wiſdom, that is in Will-worſhip, Col. 2. 23. and by this means men are beguiled of their reward, verſ. 18. and righteouſneſs exalts a nation, but ſin is a reproach to any people, Prov. 14. 34. We think by our own inventions to get us glory among the Nations, whilſt we conform our ſelves to the worldly glory of their government: but our way were to keep to Gods ſtatutes and judgments, without adding or diminiſhing; then the Nations would ſay, Surely this great nation is a wiſe and underſtanding people: Deut. 4. 6.
Thirdly, the thought of the perfection of the Scriptures: They are able to make us wiſe unto ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3: 15. to teach us how to behave our ſelves in the Church, 1 Tim. 3. 15. how to behave our ſelves in the Commonwealth: David teaches the Church to pray, Give the King thy judgements, and thy righteouſneſs unto the Kings Son, Pſal. 72. 1. The Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect, throughly furniſhed to all good works, 2 Tim. 3. 16.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, accept no Law-giver but Jeſus Chriſt, neither in Church nor Commonwealth. Let this be your profeſſion: The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, he is our King. And though other Lords beſides him rule over us, let us b… him onelyonly make mention of his Name, that will in due time ſave us from deviliſh government in the Church, when he ſhall give the body of the Beaſt to the burning flame, and caſt the Beaſt and falſe Prophet into the lake of fire that burns with brimſtone; and from all worldly government in Commonweals, when the Stone cut out of the mountain ſhall ſmite on the toes of the Image: Then not onelyonly the Clay, but the Iron, and the Braſs, and the Silver, & the Gold-government ſhall be broken to pieces, and be carried away like duſt by the wind, and no more place ſhall be found for them; no, not for the goodlieſt Government that ever was invented by the wit of man. And till that time, change of Governments will be the diſeaſe of the world, whilſt Crowns and Diadems are tranſpoſed from one Man, and from one People to another. I muſt ſay it, although I delight in it (conſidered in it ſelf) as little as others that complain of the great cry of Overturnings, wherewith the world is now Alarm'd. There will be overturnings, till he come whoſe right it is. Oh the ſtupidity of men! that apprehend not Gods diſpleaſure againſt the Governments of this world, by the often changes that are made: 'Tis to be feared that this is Judiciary, that God may leave Europe, and the wiſe Nations thereof, unto themſelves, to walk in their own counſels, becauſe they truſt in, and leave nothing of their own doings, nor of their ſtubborn way, whilſt, he paſſes over to America, and thence to the Eaſt-Indies, to ſet up the government of Jeſus Chriſt amongſt the Barbarous Nations. The Lords word, brethren, is to me, to you, Love the Truth, and Peace: Let us not, of a fond affection to Peace and Eaſe, loſe Truth; yet in our ſtriving for Truth, let us ſtrive lawfully, or elſe we ſhall not be crowned: Wherein I would have every one be wary, not with a carnal, but ſpiritual warineſs; walk in your Warfare by a divine Rule, act from a divine Spirit, keep to a divine Frame of Spirit, and ſtand every one in his place, ſtriving for Truth.
I hope, in what I have done in this following Treatiſe, I have not exceeded. As one of the Lords Watchmen, I muſt warn men. I hope I have ſpoken from the Spirit of God; I am ſure 't is after many prayers and tears; and ſo long I have delayed, till Conſcience made me ſpeak, and the guilt of my delay began to ſtare in my face; and I think I ſpeak not beſide the cauſe: that was the Diſciples fault, that they ſpake beſide the cauſe; and from this, Chriſt argues the carnalneſs of their ſpirit, that would have fire come down from heaven on the Samaritanes, Luke 9. 54, 55, 56. Is it not the time of Antichriſts war, whilſt Chriſt is conſuming him with the breath of his mouth? If any, judging of my frame of ſpirit by my phraſe, think me too bitter, let them but take this along with them, That I ſpeak not of perſons, but things, that can't be too ill ſpoken of, when vicious, and contrary to the Word of God. And for the text I have for what I ſay, if I abuſed it, I ſhall be glad the righteous ſhould ſmite me for it. Read, and judge; and as you ſee cauſe, correct my miſtakes. My time cuts my Epiſtle to you, ſhorter then I intended. I beg this, That as the three thoughts before mentioned led me into this Treatiſe: ſo prepare to read it by the meditation of them; and I ſhall pray to the Lord to make both profitable to you, who am
Devoted to the ſervice of your faith and holineſs, Gualter Poſtlethwaite.