Hypocrisy Unmasked, Letter 1
Mooſhawſet Novemb: 20. 1642. To our Neighbours of the Maſſachuſets.
VVHereas we lately received an irregular note, profeſſing its forme from the Maſſachuſets, with four mens names ſubſcribed thereunto, as principall authors of it, of the chiefe amongſt you; We could not eaſily give credit to the truth thereof, not onelyonly becauſe the conveyers of it unto us, are knowne to bee men, whoſe conſtant and profeſſed acts are worſe, then the counterfeiting of mens hands; but alſo, becauſe we thought that men of your parts and profeſſion, would never have proſtrated their wiſdome to ſuch an act. But conſidering that cauſleſſe enmity you have againſt us; the proofe wherof, every occaſion brings forth; Wee cannot but conclude, that no act ſo ill which that ancient mother will not bring forth her ſeed unto. For wee know very well, that it is the name of Chriſt called upon us, which you ſtrive againſt; Thence it is that you ſtand on tip-toe, to ſtretch your ſelves beyond your bounds; to ſeeke occaſion againſt us▪ (So) as you might hide your ſinne with Adam, bearing the world in hand; it is not your deſire to contend with us; But ſome civill breach in our courſes, which you onelyonly ſeeke to redreſſe. Whereas neither you, nor any (in way of truth) can finde wherewith, to bring us under the Cenſure of a diſorderly courſe of walking amongſt men: And as for the way of that ancient ſpirit of accuſation of the brethr…, we weigh it not, knowing him to be a lyer, (or in the abſtract, a lye) from the beginning, yea and the father of it alſ… which thing you cannot know, though it were told unto you.
Whereas you ſay, Robert Cole, William Ar…ld with others, have put themſelves under the Government and protection of your Juriſdiction duplicate page duplicate page which is the occaſion you have now got to contend; we wiſh your words were verified, that they were not elſewhere to be found, being nothing but the ſhame of Religion, Diſquiet, and Diſturbance of the place where they are. For, we know neither the one nor the other, with all their aſſociates and Confederates, have power to enlarge the bounds, by Kinge Charles limited unto you.
Behold therfore in this your act, a Map of your ſpirituall eſtate, (to uſe your owne phraſe) for we know that the Spirituality of your Churches, is the Civility of your Commonweale, and the Civility of your Comonwealth, is the ſpirituality of your Churches, the wiſdome of man, being the whole accompliſhment of them both; of which Tree, you delight dayly to eate (finding it faire and beautifull) to gaine Conformity with your maker. In theſe your Diſſembling ſubjects; groſly profane amongſt us, but full of the ſpirit of your purity, when they are with you, you may remember the brand your ſelves have ſet upon ſome of them, the Cauſe wherof was never yet removed, though it abide not upon their backe; Nor yet the Cauſe of your Commitment of them unto Sathan according unto your Law, for if that were removed, you ſhould doe them wrong, in not reſuming your vomit into its former Concoction againe; Nor are we ignorant of thoſe diſgracefull tearmes they uſe, and give out againſt you, behind your backes, their ſubmiſſion therfore can bee to no other end, but to ſatisfie their owne luſts, not onelyonly conceived, but in violent motion, againſt their Neighbours, who never offered the leaſt wrong unto them, only the propoſition of Amity, is object ſufficient, for theſe mens enmitie.
Even ſo the paſſions of ſin, which are by the Law, having force in your Members; you going about with great labour and induſtry to ſatisfie them by your ſubmiſſion unto the word of God, in your Faſting, and feaſting, in Contributing, and treaſuring, in retiredneſſe for Study, and bowing of the backes of the poore, going forth in labour to maintaine it, and in the ſpirit of that hireling, raiſing up, your whole ſtructure and edifice, in all which you bring forth nothing but fruit unto death, ſome labouring for a price to give for the keeping of their ſoules, in peace and ſafe eſtate and Condition, and ſome to have their bodies furniſhed with riches, honour and eaſe, and further then the Lord Jeſus agrees with theſe, you mind him not, nay you renounce and reject him, and with theſe (according to your Acceptation and practice) he holds no Correſpondency at all, being the Conſultation and operation of that his onelyonly adverſarie, man being that which you depend uppon, and not the Lord, Crying out in way of Elevation, and aplauding his miniſters, when in the meane time, you know not what, nor who they are, profeſſing them under a mediate Call of Chriſt, though formerly, they have beene Called immediately by him, herby ſhowing your ſelves to be thoſe, that deſtroy the Sacred ordinance of God: For if you make Chriſt to be that to day, in ſtateing his miniſters; which he was not yeſterday, and that in the tyme of the Goſpell alſo, (to ſpeake acording to your Law) to be found in them both, you therin affirm, that he hath beene that to his miniſters, which now he is not, and to make the Son of God to have beene that which now he is not, is to make a Nullitie of him, not to be at all, for he is the Lord that changeth not, no not a ſhadow therof is found in him, ſo that you plainely Crucifie unto your ſelves, the Lord of glory, and put him to an open ſhame; So that as you know not, how Chriſt, converſing with his father in heaven, is found on the earth, amongſt the true worſhippers, no more do you know, how in his converſing with Nicodemus on the earth, he concludes himſelfe to be in heaven, with his father. On this foundation hangeth the whole building of your Doctrine, concerning the ſufferings of Chriſt, you Annihilate the Croſs, then the which, the Saints have no other Conſolation: and prepare no better a place then Purgatory, for the honourable fathers of our Lord: For you conclude, that Chriſt dyed in the Decree, and purpoſe God, in the time of the Law, but actually onelyonly when he hanged on the Croſſe in the dayes of Herod and Pontius Pilate, that hee was crucified in the types and ſhadowes of the law, but in the truth, and ſubſtance, when hee appeared borne of the Virgin Mary: So muſt you alſo conclude that the fathers under the law, were only ſaved, in purpoſe and Decree, in Type and ſhadow, but actually and ſubſtantially onelyonly at the Comming of Chriſt in the fleſh: therefore deale plainely with thoſe that depend upon you for inſtruction (as your Anceſtours in the papacie have don) and proclaime a place of purgatorie, provided for them in them meane, without which, your Doctrine hath no foundation. For if you raiſe up a ſhaddow, without a ſubſtance, and the ſubſtance of him that dwelleth in light, without a ſhaddow, you play the part of Wiſards, or Necromancers, not the part of true Naturaliſts, in the things of the Kingdome of god.
So that as farre as theſe men are from beinge honourable and loyall ſubjects, ſo farre are you from being voluntaries in the Day of Gods power, and from yeelding ſubjection unto the Beauties of holineſs. Such alſo is your profeſſed Rule, and Government, in the things that concern the Kingdom of our God, they are infinitly beyond, and out of the Reach of that Spirit which is gone out amongſt you, the Capacity wherof can no wayes comprehend, the breadth of the land of Emanuel, nor en…reth it within the Vale, Therefore it cannot know thoſe Cherubims of glory, neither can it heare the voice of that lively Oracle, ſpeaking onelyonly from off the covering Mercy-ſeate, and not elſewhere to be heard; We ſpeake not but what wee know, theſe things are out of its Juriſdiction; Therfore dumb in telling Juſtice, nor ſpeakes it any of that Righteouſneſſe and glory, compryſed in another circuit, then ever you were yet made Lords of: Long therfore may you boaſt, of your Juriſdiction before ever you attaine unto a Jurisprudentia, in theſe things.
In that you tell us wee offer you wrong, by a pretended purchaſe: you are as much miſtaken in the purchaſe, as in the wrong, For it is right that we are about to do, neither is our purchaſe a pretence, but precedentiall, not onelyonly in this Civill reſpect, but may alſo admoniſh all men, to take heed, how they depend upon falſe and ſelf-ſeeking interpreters, when both themſelves, and they that have the viſion, are ignorant of the Contract, and Covenant of God. Thence it is, that you teach, that the ſpouſe of Chriſt, upon Contract with her Lord, may conceive the ſeed of immortalitie, and bring forth fruit unto God, when as yet the day of mariage, that great Feaſtivitie, and ſolemnization, of the Conſolations of God, is not yet comne, witneſſe your prorogation thereof, if not to the Deſcenſion of Chriſt from heaven unto the earth, to Raigne certaine years, yet to the Calling of the Jewes, whom yee your ſelves are, according to the fleſh, and to the deſtruction of that Man of ſinn whom yee ſo ſtoutly maintain, What is this, but to proclaime unto all the world, that Audacious ſpirit of whoredome, profeſſing Conception and bringing forth before the Nup…ll day?
In that you conclude your Clyent… Right to ariſe out of foure years poſſeſſion, wee have no ſuch order, if you meane the Right of Conqueſt, (onelyonly held in that tenure) the true owners were never yet ſubdued, for that is the right they expect to injoy by you, for ſome of them committed part of their ſuppoſed right unto us, profeſſing it was, that they might have help, to injoy the reſt; But when they ſaw, wee would not be Abetters unto them without, much leſſe contrary unto Covenant, then they flye unto you for help, Their poſſeſſion, beeing a meere intruſion, as all the Natives know and ever exclaymed againſt them for the ſame, And ſo may our Countrymen alſo, whoſe eyes are not dazled with envie, and eares open to Lyes, as we know yours are, elſe you had heard both ſydes ſpeake, before you had Judged.
But wee profeſs right held, according to no ſuch intereſt, but upon the ground of Covenant onelyonly, knowne in its nature; In the parties 'twixt whom it is plight, In the poſſeſſer, and the poſſeſſed, with the nature of all fruit ariſing from their accord and concurrencie, together with their Diſtinct, Harmonicall, Reciprocall, and Joint properties, and operations of them both: Such is the tenure wee hould, and maintain, before men and Angels, and oppoſe it againſt man and Divell, Not in taking up unto our ſelves, certaine offices and officers which wee can teach children to bee, and to perform, and from thence preſently to conclude, the poſſeſſion of the Kingdome, Crying out our peace offerings are upon us, this Day we have payd our vowes. But when that Dark cloud deſcended upon the Tabernacle, becomes the light, and glory of all Iſraell (there being nothing acknowledged amongſt them, but what ariſeth out thence) then, and then only, are the orders, as alſo the men of Iſraell, derived from the true fountaine, which no tongue can confeſs, but it is ſalvation, and then, not elſe, is the heritage of our Lord in poſſeſſion, yea, even the wayleſs wilderneſſ knowes, how to afford them an habitation, which had its being before the hills and mountaines were borne: which men begin to flye unto for refuge, to hide them from the preſence of the Lamb… this is a poſſeſſion, which no man can intrude himſelfe into: it is onelyonly Covenanted with him, thorow and inlightned eye, and boared eare, which man performeth not, nor can it be received from him.
For wee know that Cloud of thick darkneſſe, that hides and covers the whole frame and fabrick of the work of God, to be the cleering and evidencing of every point and particular therof… yea to us, it is even that cloud of witneſs, which teſtifies unto us, the like workes to appeare, when ever the world hath occaſion to make uſe of us.
Never doth it ſhine but in the night, never is it dark to Iſrael but in the day, but in the one, and the other, the only glory and ſaftie of all the tribes: but how, you know not, nor can you with all your libraries, give the interpretation thereof, but have loſt it in the wilderneſs, and accordingly, have made the whole way, and will of our Lord, the ouldneſſe of the letter, both to your ſelves, and to all that have an eare to liſſen unto you; Thence it is that the day of Lord, is a day of Darkneſs and Gloomineſs unto you, but of Joy and gladneſs unto us; yea, it lifts up our head onelyonly, and then is our ſalvation neere; For wee know the worthies of David doubled about the bed of Solomon, which expell all feare in the night, handling the ſword with ſuceſs, making the adverſaries nothing but meat to feede upon, ſo that the tyme of your feares is the time of our Courage and Conqueſt, for when you feare errour, ſchiſme, Rents and Confuſions in Church and ſtate, then do wee know the Meſſenger of the Covenant, the Lord whom wee ſeek is ſpeeding his paſſage into his holy temple: For who (under the terrors of your ſpirit) may abide his Coming, hee being like a refiners fire, and Fullers ſope?
In that you invite us unto your Courts to fetch your equall ballanced juſtice, upon this ground, that you are becomne one with our adverſaries, and that, both in what they have, and what they are, and wee know them to bee ſuch, as profeſs the day of the Lord an unhallowed thing. Now, if wee have our opponant, to prefer his action againſt us, and not only ſo, but to bee our Counſell, our Jurie, and our Judg, for ſo it muſt bee, if you bee one with them (as you affirm) wee know before hand, how our Cauſe will bee ended, and ſee the ſcale of your equall Juſtice turned alreadie, before wee have layd our Cauſe therein, and cannot but admire, to ſee you caried ſo contrarie to your owne received principles: For you know not how to finde Chriſt as a Ruling and teaching Elder both in one perſon, therfore he is not Complete amongſt you by your owne law, except in ſeverall perſons, and you may thank tradition, elſe you know no more how to finde both a king and a prieſt in him, and yet in your way of making tender of your Juſtice unto us you know how to become one with our adverſaries (ſo) as if wee deale with them, wee deale with you, and if wee have to doe with you, wee have to doe with them alſo, yea further, wee know, that the chiefe amongſt you, have profeſſed wee are not worthy to live; and that if ſome of us were amongſt you, wee ſhould hardly ſee the place of our abode any more; Now that they have brooded upon their law, to take away life, they muſt much more bring it up, in taking away all means of life, Witnes our prohibition, that no powder ſhould be ſould unto us for our money, and that in a time when you could not thinke your ſelves ſafe, in all your owne, ſelf proviſion and worldly furniture, except you diſarmed a company of poor Indians, whom Aaron your Leviticall Sacrificer hath made Naked, as hee doth all thoſe which triumph in a Calf, though the moſt coſtly and beautifull, that the Jewells and eare-rings of Learning, either in Language, or art, can poſſibly bring forth: your owne amazements upon meer Rumors, may teſtifie the truth hereof; ſo then; wee are Judged by your law before our Cauſe bee hard, or our ſelves brought forth under the liberties of it, which thing is well pleaſing unto us, to have our Condition conformed unto Moſes the man of God, who was dead in Pharaohs account, before he was brought forth, and ſo it was with Chriſt our lord, in the dayes of Herod alſo, who is our life (at which you ſtrike) and makes all things, yea, Death it ſelf, lively, and advantagious unto us.
Wee cannot but wonder, that you ſhould read the Scripture, and not finde them fulfilled, in, and amongſt your ſelves, when as they appeare ſo apparantly, that he that runs may read them: what think you of Herod, when the Lord had delivered Peter out of priſon, and releaſed him of thoſe bonds, and brought him from that thraldom, which he had ſo Cruelly impoſed upon him, to gaine the favour of the Jewes, and that by a power ſupereminent, tranſcending the bounds of his authoritie, and by a wiſdom ſurpaſſing the Depth of his Counſell, and policie, to fynd out, together with his ſouldiers and Champions, he preſently goes downe to Ceſarea, and Herod is angry with them of Tyrus & Sidon, (thumoniachon) a heavie Friend, or hath a ſecret grudg or perturbation of mind, manifeſted in an outreaching, and circumventing policie, to ſubdue them unto himſelf, that he might Rule over them: Finding himſelf fall ſhort of power and policie, to ſubject the word of God in the meſſinger of it, to ſatisfy his owne luſts, in his lordſhip over it, he purſues with all egarneſſe to make himſelf a god, by Raigning over the bodies and eſtates of men; yea, though they be but ſuch, as Tyrus and Sidon, can afford unto him, to make ſubjects of, and when they come unto him with one accord to make offer of themſelves, in yeelding to his affectionate and politicall project, he ſitting uppon the Judgment ſeate, in his Royall apparell, making his oration, of what power he hath to protect them, what wiſdom and Counſell, to miniſter Juſtice and righteouſneſs unto them (which office belongs only unto the Lord) the people with a ſhout crying out, the voice of god and not of man, the truth and ſubſtance of which Cry is, this is the ordinance of god and not of man, immediately the angel of the Lord ſmites him, and hee that ever acknowledged himſelf, to bee a worme, and no man upon the earth, Conſumes and eates up all his pomp and glory, even as thoſe, whom you account the Shame and Contempt of the people, ſhall (thorow that angell of the Covenant) waſte and bring to nought all thoſe Rhetoricall, (though earthly) Orations that are made amongſt you, by your ſo Learned, ſtudious, and experienced Clarkes: take for illuſtration of your eſtate as above, the ſpeech of your alderman Oliver, in caſe of committing Francis Hutchinſon to priſon; one of your Churchmembers wondering that brother Winthrop would do it before the Church had dealt with him, Brother, ſaith hee, why; hee is thy god man.
Lend your eye yet farther, to parallell your practiſe perſonated in Pylate and the people, when Pylat offereth Jeſus unto the people to be judged, they profeſs, they have ſuch a law, as puts no man to Death: they are all for mercy and forgiveneſs, when they are out of the Judgment hall, but let Pylat enter in thither; and then, nothing but Crucifie him, Crucifie him; be their accuſations, and witneſſes, never ſo falſe: even ſo, in your dealings with men, in way of your Jewiſh brotherhood, your law is all for merciemercy, to Redreſs, reform, and for preſervation, both of ſoule and bodie; Do but enter into the Common hall, and then, as Pylat asked (am I a Jew?) ſo do you, Doe I ſit, or ſpeake here, as a brother? I tro not, I am now in a higher ſphere, then that (though they be acknowledged coheirs with Chriſt) can ataine unto, therfore if witneſs be brought in, and Oath taken, though never ſo untrue, your conſciences are purged by law, and your power muſt have tribute payd unto it, ſo far an mens Names, to bee branded with infa…ie, eſtates, depryving women and children of things neceſſarie, and precious lives of men can extend themſelves, to contribute any thing thereunto; ſo that the profeſſed merciemercy, and Clemencie of your law, to exerciſe cenſures only for amendment of life, and recoverie, comes unto this iſſue, as much as in you lies, to ſend both ſoule and body downe unto hell for ever without redreſſe, and all hope of recovery.
But your houre, and the power of Darkneſſe, is known what it is, either to have mens perſons in admiration becauſe of advantage; or elſe, to ſeek all occaſions againſt them, to brand them with all manner of reproch, and ignominie, but for the truth, taught daily in the Temple, y… know not how to ſtreatch out your hand, or exerciſe your miniſtry againſt it, leſt it become leprous, and you take it back again with loſſe, when it appeares dried and withered.
And wherefore reaſon yee amongſt your ſelves, ſaying, wee exerciſe the power of your miniſtrations againſt none but ſuch as are Delinquents, whereby we cleer the innocent, and eſtabliſh peace in all our borders?
Wee demand, what think you of thoſe two witneſſes, prophecying in Sackcloth, a thouſand two hundreth and threeſcore Dayes: thoſe two olive trees, and two candleſtickes, ſtanding before the God of the earth? are theſe guiltie and vile perſons, out of whoſe hands (by the power of your miniſtries) you are delivering and releaſing the world? then indeed are your wayes juſtifiable: But if theſe bee the Juſt, Choſen, and peculiar friends of God, yea ſuch, as without which, his truth and Righteouſneſſe are not juſtified, his wiſdom, and holineſſe maintained and upheld in the world, in point of ſalvation by Chriſt, then are your wayes wicked, and to bee abhorred; for in your profeſſed Courſe, you are they, by whom theſe are ſlaine, and put to Death, and all your glory is to keepe their Corpes unburied in your ſtreetes, and yet you know not what you are doing, no more then you know what theſe witneſſes are, whom you are altogether ignorant of, for your Libraries never ſaw them, and you ſee not but by their eyes, for theſe are two, and never more, nor yet leſſe, yea ever the ſame, they are olive trees, elſe no witneſſes, and alſo Candleſticks, elſe both the former faile, yea, are not at all. Wee muſt tell you what theſe are, elſe wee cannot declare how you kill them, for it is not our intent to open unto you the houſe of the treaſures, the ſilver and the gold, and the ſpices, and the precious oyntment, nor the houſe of our armour, becauſe you take all as execrable, and put all to a profane uſe that commeth from us; but theſe two witneſſes are the life and death of our Lord Jeſus; or, in the true language of heaven alſo, the ſtrength and the weakneſſe of Chriſt, for hee was crucified through weakneſſe, but hee liveth by the power of God: this is the word of the Lord in Zerubbabel, Not by an army, nor by power, and ſo deprives him of all ſtrength, but by a ſpirit, that the greateſt mountaine, or loftieſt hill in the world cannot ſtand before, but becomes a plaine, which with facility and eaſe hee paſſeth upon; thence it is that hee doth not onelyonly lay the top or the head ſtone of all, but alſo the loweſt … the foundation, and then onelyonly is the voice of ſhouting heard, Grace, grace in the houſe for ever; and then doth the day of ſmall things become the day of joy and triumph, yea, of parting the rich ſpoiles and prey of all the world, for then hee that doth but turn and lift up his eyes he cannot looke beſides that great flying book of the Curſe that is gone forth over the whole earth.
Without theſe two witneſſes jointly uttering themſelves in every particular Scripture undertaken to bee divulged by any, no evidence nor teſtimony of God is given, or brought in at all, but a meere refuge of lies for the ſoules of men to betake themſelves unto; without theſe two pipes of the olive trees emptying themſelves into the bowle of the candleſticks, no unction nor oyle at all is found in them, and that being wanting, the light of the Sanctuary is gone out; ſo that the light appearing amongſt you is onelyonly the light of Balaam, whoſe eye was open, which you may read either Shethum or Sethum, for that opening is nothing elſe but the ſhutting up of the holy things of God, ſo that in ſeeing you ſee not, but communicate onelyonly in the light of that beaſt, who puts the witneſſes to death, as Balaam did in the ſight of that dumbe beaſt of his whoſe eyes were opened to ſee the angel before him; ſo that while you thinke it is our wiſdome to ſtoope unto you for light, wee never come amongſt you but ſee our ſelves in a regiment of groſſe and palpable darkneſſe, and diſcern you very plainly, how you ſcrabble upon the wall to finde the doore of Lots houſe, and cannot. As alſo how you toil your ſelves to climbe up into the ſheep-fold, another, yea, ſo many other wayes, and have no ſight nor diſcerning of us the Door, at all, by the which whoſoever entereth, becomes a true ſeeder of the flock of God; yea, none entereth in thereat, but the true Shepheard himſelf.
Moſt impious it is to put to death two ſuch Noble witneſſes, that have power to ſhut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecying; to turne the waters into bloud, and to ſmite the earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they wil, whom that ſpirit that is amongſt you kills on this wiſe, the life or power of the ſonne of God, as above, which is infinite, not admitting of circumſc…iption or containment, for the heaven of heavens cannot containe him, yet have you not dared to graſpe and inviron that power in the heavens, and therefore have reſolved and concluded that hee onelyonly rules upon the earth in theſe dayes by his Deputies, Lievtenants, and Vicegerents, whereby you limit, and ſo deſtroy the holy One of Iſrael; for give him that in one time, or place, which afterwards, or elſewhere you deny him, and you make a nullity of him unto your ſelves, and in ſo doing, you kill that other witneſſe, namely, the death or weakneſſe of the Lord Jeſus: for you muſt have man to bee honourable, learned, wiſe, experienced, and of good report, elſe they may not rule among you; yea and theſe things are of man, and by man, as appeares, in that they onelyonly officiate ſo, as man may diſanull and take it away againe; witneſſe your change of officers, conſtantly ſpeaking for us herein; thus have you ſlaine alſo the death or the weakneſſe of Chriſt, who profeſſeth himſelfe to bee a worm and no man, the ſhame and contempt of the people; and theſe faithfull and true witneſſes thus ſlaine, you muſt of neceſſity deny buriall, and keep them both in open view in your ſtreets, or otherwiſe all your pompe and glory falls to the duſt whence it came, and on which it feeds. Nor can you ſend your preſents one to another of your acts of Juſtice, power to protect, wealth, honour, and friends wherewith you gratifie each other; and where theſe are thus ſlaine, and their corps lie in open view, none of the gentiles, peoples, tongues, and kindreds ſuffering their carkaſſes to bee put in graves, there is that great City which ſpiritually is Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord is crucified; but after three dayes and an half, the ſpirit of life from God ſhall enter into them, and they ſhal ſtand up upon their feet to the terrour of you all: Nor doe you thinke that wee onelyonly inveigh againſt the great ones of this world for thus doing, for wee know that the baſeſt peaſant hath the ſame ſpirit with the greateſt Princes of this world, and the greateſt of the Princes of this world, hath the very ſame ſpirit wherewith the baſeſt peaſant hath laid himſelfe open in the view of all men: theſe wee ſay, are the two witneſſes if you can receive it, and what a diſhonour is it to trade ſo much by meanes of witneſſes, and yet not know what a true witneſſe is? which if you did, you durſt not attempt the things you doe, whereby you caſt reproach upon all the world, in that you profeſſe your ſelves a choice people pickt out of it, and yet goe on, in ſuch practices as you doe, maintaining them as your onelyonly glory. Our Lord gives you in charge not to ſweare at all, but it is your dignity to bring men to your ſeates of Juſtice with nothing but oathes in their mouthes, why doe you not ballance the ſcriptures in this point? viz.
It hath beene ſaid of old, Thou ſhalt not committ adultery, but I ſay unto you, hee that looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery with her in his heart already: ſo alſo it hath beene ſayd of old, Thou ſhalt not forſweare thy ſelf, but I ſay unto you, ſweare not at all: ſo that if it be adulterie, to looke to Iuſt, it is alſo forſwearing a mans ſelf, to ſweare at all; if the one be adultery, the other is perjury, if one be admitted in ſome caſes, the other alſo, ſo that in preaching the toleration, nay the duty of an oath, you preach the toleration, yea the duty of adulterie it ſelf; So that our Lord plainly evinceth unto all mens conſciences, not onelyonly the guilt but the folly and madneſſe of the oath of man, ſhewing how farre it is, either from inveſting into place, or demonſtrating Cauſes, ſo that hee that concludeth upon honour, and power, received from the oath of man, or upon knowledge and bouldneſs, to judge in a cauſe, from that teſtimony without the which he could not have it, is as vaine in his thoughts, as if hee ſhould herupon conclude, I have now altered the frame of heaven, which is no leſs ſtable then the throne of the great God, or demoliſhed the earth, which is as firme as his foot-ſtoole for ever, or made a fraction in the orders of Jeruſalem, that choice and peculiar City of the great King, whoſe inſtitutions no mortall breath can intrench upon, or to profeſſe his authority and skill to be ſuch, whereby he can make a haire of his head blacke or white, cauſe his age to wax old as doth a garment, or renew it with the Eagle at his pleaſure, hereby doth man (in this point of ſwearing) profeſſe his folly to bee ſuch, that hee is become not onelyonly vaine in his imaginations, but unto that pride and uſurpation therein, as to intrude himſelfe into the prerogative royall of his Maker.
So that however you boaſt of the Ordinances of God, yet he tels you there is no more then yea, yea, and nay, nay, in them, for what is once nay, is ever nay in the Ordination of Chriſt, and what is once yea, is ever yea with him, and according to his account however man reckoneth, whoſe account ſhall be called over againe, what is once curſe, is ever the curſe, and what is once the principality and power of Chriſt, is ever the principality and power of Chriſt, as that which is once the principality and power of Darkeneſſe, is ever the ſame, what hands ſoever it cometh into for manifeſtation: meaſure your kingdome whether it bee eternall, and your Juriſdiction whether it bee illimited, for he hath given (him) the heathen for his inheritance, the utmoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion, and a kingdome of leſſe extent hee profeſſeth not, nor can hee approve or acknowledge any that doe, no more then light can approve of darkeneſſe, or the Lord Jehovah of the Lord Baal.
Bee wiſe therefore, and be thinke your ſelves while it is called to day, harden not your hearts, as though you would make your ſelves Meriba, nothing but ſtrife and contention againſt the Lord, rather kiſſe the ſonne (if it bee poſſible) leſt his wrath bee kindled and you periſh from the way for ever, O bleſſed onelyonly they, that hope in him.
So that hee which profeſſeth on this wiſe, it is yea, I am a paſtour, but it was nay, at ſuch a time I was none, hee renounceth that ſpirit of the true paſtour, yet onelyonly feeder of Iſrael, profeſſing onelyonly that ſpirit that puſheth the weake with the horne, and pudleth with his feet the waters where the flocke of God ſhould drinke. Hee with whom it is yea, I am a Ruler, but it was nay when I was none at all, renounceth that ſpirit of him that rules in righteouſneſſe, profeſſing the ſpirit of him that rules according to the god of this world, that Prince of the power of the Aire, who is now working ſo effectually in the children of diſobedience. So alſo hee with whom it is yea, I am a Captaine, or chiefe ſlaughter-man, but it was nay, time was I was none at all, renounceth that victorie and ſlaughter made by the Captaine and High-prieſt of our profeſſion, (who as hee is a Lambe ſlaine from the beginning, his victory and ſlaughter muſt bee of the ſame antiquity,) profeſſing himſelfe to bee a chiefe ſlaughter-man, or ſuperfluous Giant, made in that hoaſt of the Philiſtims, ſtanding in readineſſe to come out, to defie the hoaſt of the living God: yea, it is evident, that whatſoever is more then yea, yea, and nay, nay, not ſettlingeach upon its Baſe, whereon it ſtandeth for ever without controule, but can remove, create, or make void offices and officers at their pleaſure, it of that evill, or not of Jeſus, the ſalvation of his people, but of Shedim that waſter and deſtroyer of mankinde for ever: know therefore that it is the oath of God which confirmes and makes good his Covenant and promiſe unto a thouſand generations: and it is the oath of man, which is the bond and obligation of that league and agreement made with death and hell for ever; bee yee aſſured it is not the tabernacle of witnes which you have amongſt you, brought in by Jeſus into the poſſeſſion of the Gentiles, but it is Siccuth your King, or the tabernacle of Moleck, the ſtarre of your God Remphan, figures which you have made unto your ſelves, which you have taken up, and are bearing ſo ſtoutly upon your ſhoulders. Now to tell you what an oath according to God is, that the ſcriptures are delivered upon no other ground or termes of certainty, where ever they are divulged, is a thing out of your juriſdiction, you cannot diſcerne or judge of it, therefore according to our word above, wee leave it as a parable unto you, as all the holy word of our God is, as your converſation in all points, as in this, daily declareth.
In a word, when wee have to doe in your juriſdiction, we know what it is to ſubmit to the wiſe diſpenſations of our God, when you have to doe amongſt us, in the liberties hee hath given unto us, wee doubt not, but you ſhall finde him judge amongſt us, beyond and above any cauſe or thing you can propoſe unto us; And let that ſuffice you, and know, that you cannot maintaine a juriſdiction, but you muſt reject all inroades upon other mens priviledges, and ſo doe wee.
In the meane time, wee ſhall (as wee thinke good) bee calling over againe ſome matters that you have taken up and had the handling of them amongſt you, to ſee what juſtice or equity wee finde hath beene exerciſed in them, and redreſſe them accordingly: for wee profeſſe right unto all men, and not to doe any violence at all, as you in your preſcript threaten to doe to us, for wee have learned how to diſcipline our children, or ſervants, without offering violence unto them, even ſo doe w…e know how to deale with our deboiſt, rude, nay inhumane Neighbours, (or if you will, Nabals) without doing violence, but rather rendring unto them that which is their due.
Nor ſhall wee deprive a witneſſe of his modeſt teſtimony for the out-cries, and clamours of ſuch a one as ill bred apoſtatized Arn…ld that fellonious Hog-killer, being the partie to bee teſtified againſt, or for the oath of any intereſted in the cauſe, nor ſhall wee bee forward to come ſo farre, to finde your worke upon your requeſt, till wee know you to beare another minde, then others of your Neighbours doe, with whom wee have had to doe in this country, whoſe pretended and deviſed Lawes wee have ſtooped under, to the robbing and ſpoiling of our goods, the livelyhood of our wives and children, thinking they had laboured, (though groping in great darkeneſſe) to bring forth the truth, in the rights and equity of things, but finding them to bee a company of groſſe diſſembling hypocrites, that under the pretence of Law and Religion, have done nothing elſe, but gone about to eſtabliſh themſelves in wayes to maintaine their owne vicious luſts, wee renounce their Diabolicall practice, being ſuch as have denyed in their publique Courts, that the lawes of our Native Country ſhould bee named amongſt them, yea thoſe ancient ſtatute lawes, caſting us into moſt baſe naſtie and inſufferable places of impriſonment for ſpeaking according to the language of them, in the meane while, breaking open our houſes in a violent way of hoſtilitie (abuſing our wives and our little ones) to take from us the volumes wherein they are preſerved, thinking thereby to keepe us ignorant of the courſes they are reſolved to run, that ſo the vicioſity of their owne wills might bee a law unto them, yea they have endeavoured, and that in publique expreſſions, that a man being accuſed by them, ſhould not have liberty to anſwer for himſelfe in open Court. Dealings of like nature wee finde in the place whereof you ſtile us your neighbours, (on whoſe unbridled malice, wee finde a higher then you putting a curbe) and yet in your account and reckoning wee are the parties that ſtill are doing the wrong, and muſt beare the guilt in your moſt mature ſentence, in whomſoever the ſpot ariſeth and abideth. But the God of vengeance (unto whom our cauſe is referred, never having our protector and Judge to ſeeke) will ſhew himſelfe in our deliverance out of the hands of you all, yea all the houſe of that Iſhboſheth and Mephiboſheth, nor will he faile us to utter and make knowne his ſtrength (wherein wee ſtand) to ſerve in our age, and to miniſter in our Courſe, to day and to morrow, and on the third day, can none deprive us of perfection, for hee hath taught us to know what it is to walke to day, and to morrow, and the day following alſo, when a periſhing eſtate cannot ariſe out of Jeruſalem, though ſhe be the onelyonly one, (yea, none but ſhe) that kills the Prophets, and ſtones them that are ſent unto her.
Behold yee that are looking after, and foretelling ſo much of the comming of Chriſt, driving the day before you ſtill for certaine yeares, which ſome (you ſay) ſhall attaine unto, and unto the day of death for the reſt, You blinde guides, as your fathers have ever done, ſo doe yee. Behold wee ſay, when ever hee appeareth, your houſe (which yee ſo glory in) ſhall bee left unto you deſolate, it ſhall be turned into nothing but deſolation and confuſion, for Babel is its name; Nor ſhall you ſee him to your comfort in the glory of his kingdome, untill you can ſay, Bleſſed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord, when the authority and power of man appeares to bee the building of Babel unto you, and the name and authority of God onelyonly, to bee that, wherein the bleſſing conſiſts, and that in ſuch wiſe alſo, as is nothing but a way of reproach, in the eyes of all the world, that a King ſhould ride into his chiefe City, ſo ſtrangely furniſhed, upon an Aſſe borrowed, her furniture old, overworn garments, and accompanied with none but poore, meane, excommunicated perſons, ſuch as your Elders, Scribes, Phariſees, Lawyers, and all your credible perſons among you, make full account they are not onelyonly accurſed by, but alſo deſtitute and void of all law, when you can finde Hoſanna in the higheſt, ariſing out of ſuch contempt and ſhame, then, and then onelyonly ſhall you ſing unto him with comfort. In the meane time acknowledge your portion, which is to truſt and ſtay your ſelves on the name of man, and in his beautie to delight and glory, which ſhall fade as a leafe, and like the graſſe ſhall wither when it is fitting it ſelf for the oven, ſuch is man whoſe breath is in his noſtrills, and the ſonne of ſorrie man, in whom you delight to truſt, his power and his policy brings forth nothing elſe, but as you ſhall ſee and heare in the Countrey from whence wee are brought. We are not ignorant of thoſe ſhamefull lies and falſities gone out againſt us, and the daily wreſting of our words, to caſt contempt upon us, thinking to bow downe our backs under ignominie and reproach; Neither of thoſe ſtraits & difficulties they have caſt us upon, in the things which concerne this preſent life, to the taking away of the lives of many, if our God had not been ſeen beyond and above what their thoughts could reach unto (as their owne confeſſion hath witneſſed,) doing it in ſuch a way of painted hypocriſie and falſe gloſſe unto the eye of the world, that wee might ſeeme unto it ſelf-executioners. We RESOLVE therefore to follow our imployments, and to carry and behave our ſelves as formerly wee have done (and no otherwiſe) for wee have wronged no man, unleſſe with hard labour, to provide for our families, and ſuffering of groſſe, idle, and idol droanes to take our labour out of the mouths, and from off the backs of our little ones, to lordane it over us.
So that if any any ſhall goe about to diſturbe or annoy us henceforth in our imployments and liberties, which God hath, or ſhall put into our hands, that can claime no intereſt in us but by theſe courſes; what their buſineſſe is, wee know by proofe ſufficient, to bee nothing elſe but that ancient errand of Nimrod, that rebellious hunter after the precious life; which errand of his ſhall bee no more delivered unto us in that covert cruelty, and diſſembling way of hypocriſie, but in direct and open termes of tyrannie, wee will not bee dealt with as before, wee ſpeake in the Name of our God, wee will not; For if any ſhall diſturb us, as above, ſecret hypocrites ſhall become open Tyrants, and their lawes appeare to bee nothing elſe but meer luſts in the eyes of all the world.
And wherefore doe you murmure among your ſelves at this ſaying, thinking it is not a Chriſtian expreſſion? it is becauſe you are ignorant of the croſſe of our Lord Jeſus, not knowing what it is: Therefore it is, that while you inveigh againſt ſuch as ſet up a Statue of wood and ſtone, to bow downe unto it, and are ſo vaine, as to croſſe the aire, (to uſe your owne expreſſion) upon the face of infants, when they ſprinkle them with water to as great purpoſe: And in the meane time you preach and ſet up Seg…nirim for your croſſe, whom you fall downe unto ſo willingly, and leſt you let the word paſſe without expoſition of it unto all, it ſignifies, Horrour and feare, which is the croſſe you hold and teach, and by and thorow which you thinke to bee ſaved, which is a name given by our Lord unto the Devill himſelf, as our Engliſh tranſlate it, and the Lord never gives name, as an empty title, but according to the nature of the thing named; ſo that if hee ſpeake, I have ſaid yee are gods, of any beſides himſelfe, it is to declare, that there is not onelyonly the name, but the very nature of the god of this world, and therefore hee ſaith, they ſhall die, even as Adam, which aſpired and uſurped the place of God, and fall alſo as one of the Princes, even as one of thoſe princes of Midian, whoſe carkaſſes became dung for the earth; and hee that gives that title unto any but the true God (that made heaven and earth) in any other ſenſe but as it declares a flat oppoſition againſt God, is re-acting that ancient ſpirit of the ſerpent, if yee eate, you ſhall bee as gods, to judge of good and evill, for which all men are ſet up in that kinde; even ſo, while you tell the people, that by ſorrow, compunction, and anxiety, and trouble of minde, they communicate in the ſufferings of Chriſt, out of which condition their comfort is to flow, is nothing elſe but to conclude the ſonne of God to be Belial, yea, to affirme him to bee Seg…nirim himſelf; this doth hee receive at your hands in your miniſtries, for all your …awning upon him with a kiſſe; ſo that if you will know how farre you are from communicating in the death of Chriſt, take it in this parable, verily, as farre as the weakneſs of God is ſtronger then man.
Country-men, for wee cannot but call you ſo, though wee finde your carriage towards us to bee ſo farre worſe then theſe Indians, wee adviſe you to take things together, and what God hath joyned, let none dare to put aſunder: So that if you bee aſhamed of the croſſe in Baptiſme, bee aſhamed of the Baptiſme alſo, for ſuch as the croſſe is, ſuch is the Baptiſme, therefore your anceſtors goe beyond you in that, to joyne croſſing of the aire, and ſprinkling with the element of water together, but where ever Baptiſme according to the word of Chriſt is, there is the croſſe of Chriſt alſo, they can no more bee ſeparated, then his ſcepter and kingdom can, for where the one is, there is the other alſo, and as they are co-incident, ſo are they co-apparant; So that if ever you ſee the baptiſme of Chriſt truly in uſe, and exerciſed upon any, you do as truly ſee that party partaking and communicating with the croſſe and ſufferings of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to ſee perſons in ſuch eſtate, and to conclude that afterwards they may bee worthy of cenſure, yea poſſibly unto an anathema maranatha, is nothing elſe but to conclude a totall and finall falling away from the grace of God, as your fathers have done before you; for no grace greater then the croſſe of our Lord Jeſus.
Behold therefore you deſpiſers, the vanity and abomination of all your baptiſmes, how prejudiciall they are to the croſſe of Chriſt: bee aſhamed and return in time, or hee ſhall bee a ſwift witneſſe againſt you for ever, when your repentance ſhall come too late; but you thinke the croſſe of Chriſt is not, but onelyonly in bowing the back under every burden, and cringing and crouching unto the luſt of every man, otherwiſe his Shebett is not fit, nor ſuiteth it at all with your Regiment, unleſſe ſo ſervile, that every man may ſerve his owne luſts of him, to get wealth and honour, friends and allies, by ſetting bounds and limits unto the holy Word of God; ſome in the way of one device, and ſome according to another, and he that will not either walk as a dumbe beaſt, (worſe then Balaams Aſſe) and ſay nothing, or elſe give a ſenſe of the holy writings to maintaine the deviſed platforme, if mercy muſt bee uſed, not to hang and burn, yet baniſhment is ready waiting upon them; therefore ſhall you know by the Rod of his power that comes out of Sion, that hee will bee Ruler, even in the midſt of his enemies.
Per us whom you ſtile your neighbours of Providence, you have ſaid it, Providence is our Hold, the neighbourhood of the Samaritan wee profeſſe. And for the lookings on, and turnings aſide of your Prieſts and Levites, without either unction, or bowells of compaſſion, all thoſe ſlaine and wounded in ſoule amongſt you, finding no remedy, doe plainly teſtifie unto all men the nature of your travailes and neighbourhood what it is, that neither the oyle of thoſe two olive trees, nor the fatneſſe of that vine, which maketh glad God and man, is converſant amongſt you; your ſpeech to us in generall, not uſing our names, whereas wee know, it is particulars you aime at, gives us plainely to ſee, the word Aelem revived and living in you, as it ſtands with its coherence in Pſalme 58.
John Wickes
Randall Howldon
Robert Potter
Samuel Gorton
John Greene
Francis Weſton
Richard Carder
Richard Waterman
Nicholas Power
John Warner
William Waddell