<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2013-09-10</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Amanda Flynn</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="A79913">
<STC T="W">C4585</STC>
<STC T="T">E1181_6</STC>
<STC T="C">R208137</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99867124</BIBNO>
<VID>169435</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>TRUTH RELEASED FROM PRISON, TO ITS Former Libertie. OR, A true di&s;covery, who are the troublers of true I&s;rael; the di&s;turbers of <HI>Englands</HI> Peace. <HI>With a brief Narration; in which is impartially debated of, who are the true Emba&s;&s;adors of that great</HI> Jehovah, <HI>the Prince of Peace.</HI> By LAWRENCE CLARKSON, a Labourer in that great My|&s;terie of godline&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>London, Printed by Iane Coe, for Iohn Poun&s;et, at the lower end of Budge-row, near Canon-&s;treet. 1646.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>TO The Mayor, Alder|men, with the Inhabitants of the Towne of <HI>Pre&s;ton</HI> in <HI>Amounderne&s;&s;e,</HI> in the County of <HI>Lanca&s;ter.</HI></HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Your Towne&s;man wi&s;heth, that Truth in Peace, and Peace in Truth, may dwell in your hearts as one man.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<OPENER><SALUTE>GENTLEMEN,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_WEre it &s;o that Truth were under&s;tood in its <HI>Center,</HI> that Truth were apprehended in its <HI>Element,</HI> then would a Truth be received as a Truth; notwithstanding the Me&s;&s;enger be not he you expected. This would be nothing in hinderance, that Truth &s;hould not be embraced as a
<PB REF="3"> Truth, &s;o that if Truth in the power thereof hath not reduced your &s;pirits in obedience thereto, though an <HI>Angel</HI> from <HI>Heaven</HI> &s;hould divulge the truth you cannot believe it.</P>
<P>To that end &s;aith the <HI>Prophet in hearing you &s;hall heare, and not un|der&s;tand,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 6. 9.</NOTE> <HI>in &s;eeing you &s;hall &s;ee, and not perceive a truth from an error,</HI> for the prevention hereof, ob&s;erve the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> exhortation, prove all things, and try the &s;pirits of men; <HI>that &s;o you</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 21.</NOTE> <HI>may not hold fa&s;t that which is evill, and lo&s;e that which is good,</HI> in esteeming one <HI>me&s;&s;enger</HI> aboue ano|ther; in &s;o doing you receive the <HI>me&s;|&s;age</HI> in love to the <HI>me&s;&s;enger,</HI> and not in love to the <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> it &s;elfe; &s;o that it comes, ye rejoyce in man and not in truth, delivered by the man (as in|stance) the <HI>Countrymen</HI> of Christ could not but be a&s;toni&s;hed at the <HI>Do|ctrine</HI> delivered by him; Saying, <HI>from whence hath he the&s;e things, &amp; what</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 6. 2. 3.</NOTE> <HI>wi&s;dome is this that is given unto him, &amp;c.</HI> They could not but acknow|ledge the <HI>excellence</HI> thereof, and with <HI>admiration</HI> conclude; never man<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 7 46</NOTE>
<PB REF="3"> &s;pake like this man, (but) when they under&s;tood who&s;e Son he was; how that he was a <HI>Carpenter, Maries Son, the brother of JAMES and JOSES</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 3.</NOTE> <HI>and of JVDAH and SIMON, and that their Si&s;ters were</HI> with them; then their note was changed; for wher|as before they <HI>appluaded</HI> him: now &s;aith the Text, they were <HI>offended</HI> in him.</P>
<P>So that <HI>Gentlemen,</HI> to this end I quote this <HI>Scripture,</HI> that &s;o you may examine your own hearts, whether you be not offended, that God hath been plea&s;ed to call out the poorest, and weake&s;t of his Saints, adorning them with gifts equivalent thereto, <HI>autho|rizing</HI> them by his <HI>Princely Maje&s;ty</HI> to divulge his <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> to <HI>People, Kings, &amp; Nations,</HI> and who &s;hall with|&s;tand his plea&s;ure herein, or who dare pre&s;ume to murmure at the doings of the Lord, &s;eeing they are <HI>marvelous</HI> in the eyes of men; knowing this, <HI>that all things are of him, through him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 36.</NOTE> <HI>and to him;</HI> So that he may do with his owne, what he plea&s;eth; as what if he plea&s;e to confound the <HI>Wi&s;e,</HI> and
<PB REF="4"> exalt the <HI>Ignorant?</HI> what if he plea&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg">So accoun|ted.</NOTE> to refu&s;e the greatne&s;&s;e of the <HI>Elders Scribes,</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;ees,</HI> and accept of beggers, as <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>John?</HI> what if he plea&s;e to reject the <HI>Nobility</HI> of <HI>King Ahab,</HI> and approbate the Prophe&s;ye of poore <HI>ELIAH,</HI> of poore Tradesmen, as Taylors, Weavers &amp;c. Should this di&s;plea&s;e you, that is the plea&s;ure of God?</P>
<P>If this be your trouble that <HI>Eldad</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gentle|men,</NOTE> and <HI>Medad</HI> &s;hould prophe&s;ie, that the Saints of the mo&s;t high &s;hould deliver the <HI>me&s;&s;age</HI> of the King of Kings, that the <HI>Family</HI> of love &s;hould improve their <HI>Tallent</HI> given them by their <HI>Fa|ther;</HI> notwithstanding your di&s;plea|&s;ure<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 1. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> herein, I dare not, I cannot, but <HI>what I have &s;eene and heard, declare unto you;</HI> (yea you) my <HI>Country|men,</HI> my <HI>Townes-men,</HI> my <HI>Neigh|bours,</HI> and my <HI>Acquaintance;</HI> under this <HI>Relation</HI> I am <HI>imboldned.</HI> I am <HI>engaged</HI> to pre&s;ent my <HI>Light</HI> before you, to traffick with my <HI>Tallent</HI> a|mong&s;t you, to the end you may &s;ee and acknowledge, God is not <HI>partiall, with him is no re&s;pecting of Per&s;ons;</HI> yea<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 11.</NOTE>
<PB REF="4"> with God it matters not, of what <HI>occu|pation</HI> he be, provided, he be lawfully called and &s;ent out by God, approbated and authorized by his <HI>Maie&s;ty,</HI> in that the worke is the <HI>Lords,</HI> and not <HI>mans,</HI> (therefore) it is the <HI>Prerogative</HI> of God to make choyce of what <HI>me&s;&s;enger</HI> he plea&s;eth.</P>
<P>So that <HI>Gentlemen,</HI> what &s;hould I &s;ay to you, or to what &s;hould I councell you, (onely this) that you would be plea&s;ed to approve of that which is ap|proved by God, that you would receive that which is &s;ent by God, that &s;o I may not have the like occa&s;ion to <HI>weep</HI> over you, as Christ had over <HI>Jeru&s;a|lem;</HI> &s;aying, O <HI>Jeru&s;alem Jeru&s;alem,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 23. 37.</NOTE> &amp;c. So that I may not &s;ay O <HI>Pre&s;ton, Pre&s;ton,</HI> thou that ha&s;t been &s;educed by blinde <HI>Guides;</HI> in&s;omuch that thou ha&s;t <HI>wor&s;hipped</HI> that for <HI>God</HI> which <HI>really</HI> was no <HI>God,</HI> as instance thy ex|alting the <HI>Common Prayer,</HI> thy cruci|fix in <HI>bapti&s;m,</HI> thy <HI>kneeling</HI> at <HI>Sa|crament;</HI> thy reverence to the <HI>Steeple</HI> was &s;o great, that I was reproved for turning again&s;t the wall; &s;o<NOTE PLACE="marg">By Mr. Hudd&s;on then your Lecturer.</NOTE> that I may &s;ay, thou that de|&s;pi&s;e&s;t the <HI>Prpohets</HI> of God, and re|jecteth
<PB REF="5"> them that are &s;ent unto thee, how often hath the <HI>Lord</HI> un&s;heathed his <HI>Sword</HI> again&s;t thee, how often hath he <HI>plundred</HI> thee, &amp; yet notwith&s;tanding thou can&s;t not, thou wilt not <HI>returne, returne</HI> unto thy God; &s;o that <HI>Pre&s;ton</HI> my reque&s;t to God is for thee, that the <HI>Love</HI> of Chri&s;t may <HI>plunder</HI> thee, may <HI>per&s;wade</HI> thee, yea may <HI>conquer</HI> thee in obedience to his <HI>Maje&s;ty:</HI> that &s;o you may become truly <HI>Noble</HI> with the men of <HI>Berea,</HI> in <HI>receiving the Word of</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts. 17. 10.</NOTE> <HI>God with all readine&s;&s;e of minde,</HI> and in holy <HI>wi&s;edome</HI> &s;earch the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> to the end you may truly under&s;tand by whom the Go&s;pel was preached, and from whom they were authorized.</P>
<P>That in &s;o doing this poore <HI>Tallent</HI> of mine may finde entertainment with you, &s;o as to be received by you, not onely by the hearing in the <HI>eare,</HI> but in the under&s;tanding of the <HI>hart;</HI> the which I in all <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> love pre&s;ent to your con&s;ideration, de&s;iring it may be per|u&s;ed with a <HI>&s;ingle eye</HI> and <HI>impartiall Spirit,</HI> to the end you may not <HI>approve</HI> or <HI>di&s;prove,</HI> of the&s;e few lines, in refe|rence to the <HI>Author;</HI> but as you un|der&s;tand
<PB REF="5"> the matter herein contained, &s;o <HI>Judge,</HI> and &s;o <HI>Speake,</HI> and withall I intreat you, if you apprehend any <HI>er|ror</HI> through weakne&s;&s;e, delivered by me in that I am the weakest of thou|&s;ands: that you would be plea&s;ed to im|pute it to me the <HI>Author</HI> thereof, that &s;o <HI>Truth</HI> by you may not be <HI>Scandali|zed;</HI> but in all wi&s;edome <HI>Vindicated,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iames 1. 27.</NOTE> in that it is pure and undefiled</P>
<P>For the performance of which, turn your eyes upon the en&s;uing &s;ubject, and the Lord give you under&s;tanding to ap|prehend the truth therein contained; which, I hope nothing there from is pre|&s;ented to the view of your eye; but what the text will beare me out, as that <HI>E|liah</HI> by the <HI>Court</HI> of equity was enga|ged, to bring to light the I&s;hues of <HI>A|habs</HI> unju&s;t proceedings, and that the more truth might be vindicated, the <HI>Gentry</HI> with the <HI>Comonalty</HI> &s;atisfied, who was the troubler of <HI>I&s;rael:</HI> under the &s;ame ingagement, by the &s;ame Co|venant, are <HI>Elias</HI> friends constrained to vindicate their <HI>call,</HI> their <HI>Doctrine,</HI> &amp; their <HI>Profe&s;&s;ion;</HI> from any report or &s;candal, imputed on them by <HI>Ahabs</HI> Kin&s;men, under what term &s;oever, that thereby it may appeare who halts be|tweene
<PB REF="6"> two opinions, who are Newters, who turnes with the times: that &s;o you may know who are the troublers of <HI>I&s;|rael.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Gentlemen,</HI> this (and onely this) is my love to you: yea, my Petition for you; that you may be a di&s;cerning people, yea &s;uch a people that the Lord delights to enhabit with, then will your <HI>Shire</HI> be a joy to <HI>England,</HI> yea your <HI>Towne</HI> will be a terror to the Enemies round about you, in that truth is &s;tronger then <HI>Kings:</HI> Truth will do as the <HI>Ark</HI> to the <HI>Phili&s;tines,</HI> make them fear and trem|ble; yea truth is &s;o farr from troubling<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 4. 4. 7.</NOTE> the Saints that it is their joy, their peace, their chife&s;t trea&s;ure: So that my conclu&s;ion is, truth may be your Governor, your Weapon, your refuge, your all in all; that truth may pre&s;erve you from all your enemies, that truth may &s;upport you in the greate&s;t mi&s;ery, that truth may po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e you in ever|la&s;ting peace. So prayeth he that is,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Servant in the Truth. LAW. CLARKSON.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD>Truth relea&s;ed from Pri|&s;on, to its former Liberty.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>1 KINGS, 18. 17.</BIBL>
<Q>Art thou he that troubleth I&s;rael?</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_DEare friends, you have an inditement or ac|cu&s;ation preferred in|to the Court of the living God.</P>
<P>The extent thereof lyeth in the&s;e words.</P>
<P><HI>Art thou he which troubleth I&s;rael?</HI></P>
<P>The connexion of which is divi|ded in <HI>accu&s;atorem, et reum,</HI> That is, the <HI>Plantiffe</HI> and <HI>Defendant;</HI> &s;o that the <HI>Court</HI> of equity doth produce an engagement in the hearts of all &s;uch that are in Covenant with <HI>Chri&s;t Ie|&s;us,</HI> that are of the &s;worne <HI>Iury,</HI> to give in our Te&s;timony concerning the inditement.</P>
<P>In that we may Evangelically pro|&s;ecute the truth of this <HI>information,</HI> I
<PB REF="7"> &s;hall enquire whether it be <HI>&s;uppo&s;itive</HI> or <HI>Affirmative,</HI> that &s;o ju&s;tice in all e|quity may pa&s;&s;e &s;entence on both &s;ides.</P>
<P>To that end peru&s;e the <HI>Bill</HI> pre|ferred by <HI>King Ahab,</HI> and &s;eriou&s;ly take notice of the perticulars quoted in the <HI>Inditement;</HI> which were, that <HI>Eliah</HI> the <HI>defendant,</HI> &s;hould prophe&s;ie bitter things that would befall the <HI>King,</HI> and <HI>Kingdome</HI> of <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> &s;aying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 17 1.</NOTE> as <HI>the Lord God of I&s;rael liveth before whom I &s;tand, there &s;hall be neither dew nor rain, but according to my word.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, examine the <HI>Defendant</HI> what was the rea&s;on of this his Pro|phe&s;ie, whether it were out of the en|vie of his Spirit, or that it was the power of <HI>Iehovah,</HI> commanding and carrying out his heart to deal plainly with the <HI>Plantiffe, King Ahab.</HI></P>
<P>For your &s;atisfaction in this quaery, I conceive the record will cleerly produce, that <HI>Eliah</HI> had no envie a|gain&s;t <HI>Ahab</HI> or his <HI>Kingdome,</HI> but did by the teachings of God declare, what the <HI>Lord</HI> had determined to do; in that he prophe&s;ied in the name of the Lord of <HI>Ho&s;ts,</HI> as is confirmed by the record, where you have the <HI>Lord</HI>
<PB REF="7"> approbating his Prophe&s;ie, in that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 17. 7.</NOTE> <HI>there fell no rayne upon the earth,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>Secondly, this <HI>Me&s;&s;age</HI> of the man of <HI>God</HI> was very important, &s;o as to requite <HI>King Ahab</HI> for his rebellion &amp; trouble of his poor <HI>Prophet,</HI> by his gro&s;&s;e and wicked proceedings, in contempt and provocation of the <HI>Lord</HI> of <HI>Ho&s;ts;</HI> in&s;omuch that he be|came the onely troubler of the <HI>King|dome</HI> him&s;elfe, as the <HI>Defendant</HI> hath it clearly recorded; &s;aying, I <HI>have not troubled I&s;rael, but thou and thy Fa|thers</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 18.</NOTE> <HI>hou&s;e, in that ye have for&s;aken the Commandements of the Lord, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Yet you have this wicked <HI>King A|hab,</HI> with his wicked <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Courtiers</HI> accu&s;ing and attaching in|nocent <HI>Eliah,</HI> to be a troubler of their <HI>State,</HI> a di&s;turber of their <HI>Peace,</HI> a hinderer of their <HI>reformation,</HI> when truly and really the <HI>Court</HI> of equity hath found the <HI>Plantiff</HI> guilty of that he accu&s;ed the <HI>defendant</HI> of, and that not onely <HI>&s;uppo&s;itively:</HI> but <HI>affirma|tively,</HI> &s;aying I, (yea I) a poore de|&s;pi&s;ed <HI>Prophet,</HI> am not the troubler of <HI>I&s;rael, &amp;c.</HI> but thou (yea thou) King <HI>Ahab,</HI> art he that troubleth <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> From whence ob&s;erve this conclu|&s;ion.</P>
<PB REF="8">
<P>That the di&s;obedient and troub|lers<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Doct.</NOTE> of <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> do fir&s;t complaine that they are troubled.</P>
<P>Thus beloved, when <HI>ju&s;tice</HI> is permit|ted to have its <HI>Prerogative,</HI> and when Partiality with re&s;pect of per&s;ons doth &s;tandat the doore; then &s;hall poor <HI>Eliah</HI> have as free permi&s;&s;ion to de|fend his cau&s;e as the <HI>King</HI> upon his <HI>Throne;</HI> then &s;hall truth be countenan|ced and an eror rejected, &amp; not with this <HI>Prophet</HI> retire into the <HI>Wilderne&s;&s;e</HI> into <HI>Pri&s;on,</HI> &amp;c. when erors lodge in the <HI>Kings Palace,</HI> as is recorded of this<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 19. 4.</NOTE> <HI>Defendant,</HI> he for the delivering of the <HI>Me&s;&s;age</HI> of the <HI>God</HI> of Truth; he for revealing the <HI>Kings</HI> plea&s;ure, was by a wicked <HI>King</HI> hunted and per&s;e|cuted for a troubler of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> &amp;c. &s;o that from hence you may take no|tice of this propo&s;ition.</P>
<P>That a truth prophe&s;ied or preach|ed<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Doct.</NOTE> by a poore <HI>Eliah,</HI> a poore Saint, is e&s;teemed a trouble to the <HI>Nobili|ty</HI> of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>Thus beloved, having &s;et open the <HI>fountain,</HI> and made way for the ligt of truth, whereby we may with all brevity pro&s;ecute the precedent doctrines.</P>
<PB REF="8">
<P>In which I &s;hall by the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of God, produce nothing to this <HI>au|ditory;</HI> but what the &s;ubject I am now to treat upon, will vindicate my innocen&s;ie in oppo&s;ition to any <HI>malignant</HI> catching Spirits, that may hereafter favour or lay to my charge any &s;uppo&s;ed error, &amp;c.</P>
<P>So that in all Chri&s;tian love, I in|treat your Chri&s;tian attention, to that which God by mee &s;hall be plea&s;ed to &s;peak from this conclu&s;ion.</P>
<P>That the di&s;obedient and trou|blers<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Doct.</NOTE> of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> doe fir&s;t com|plaine that they are troubled.</P>
<P>The truth of this will appeare in the&s;e two en&s;uing perticulars, which are as followeth.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, who are the true <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, what will trouble this true <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>For your &s;atisfacton in the fir&s;t I &s;hall produce you the <HI>originall,</HI> and <HI>ri&s;e</HI> of <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> that &s;o ye may take notice, ABRAHAM was the fir&s;t that was made choy&s;e of, to call his<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 2. 12.</NOTE> people, in that he was commanded to leave his <HI>kindred,</HI> to the end, the <HI>Lord</HI> might ble&s;&s;e them that ble&s;&s;ed him, and cur&s;e them that cur&s;ed him,
<PB REF="9"> he being the fir&s;t called an <HI>Hebrew,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 14. 13.</NOTE> &s;o that as yet <HI>I&s;rael</HI> were not, nor had not their title; till JACOB was born ABRAHAMS Sons Son, ISA|ACS<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 32. 28.</NOTE> Son, &s;o JACOB was fir&s;t called JSRAEL; this JACOB having 12. Sons, which <HI>&s;tock</HI> and <HI>Children</HI> were<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 1. 1.</NOTE> called JSRAEL, a people by them|&s;elves, per&s;ecuted of all nations, be|loved of none but God; &s;o that of this <HI>&s;tock</HI> came MOSES, yea all the holy <HI>Fathers, Kings,</HI> and <HI>Prophets,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 14. 2</NOTE> called and cho&s;en by God for his peculiar trea&s;ure, of this &s;tock came <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us,</HI> as was both <HI>promi&s;ed</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 49. 10. Mich. 5. 2 Mat 2. 6.</NOTE> and <HI>prophe&s;ied</HI> being confirmed in his <HI>birth.</HI></P>
<P>But what then, &s;hall we conclude that the <HI>generations</HI> of the twelve <HI>tribes</HI> were the true <HI>I&s;rael?</HI></P>
<P>My an&s;wer to that mu&s;t &s;peak from the <HI>record</HI> in that the declaration of that ari&s;es, that all the&s;e were not true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as is remarkeable; con|cerning <HI>Saloman,</HI> at who&s;e death all<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kings 13. 11.</NOTE> the <HI>tribes</HI> &s;ave, one had a wicked <HI>King Ieroboham;</HI> you &s;hall finde they were divided again, yea you &s;hal read this <HI>I&s;rael</HI> &s;o tituled, became &s;o &s;in|full, that this <HI>Prophet</HI> this <HI>defendant</HI>
<PB REF="9"> could not de&s;tingui&s;h <HI>I&s;rael</HI> from other people, &s;o that now the onely way to finde out the truth is to peru&s;e the&s;e en|&s;uing Scriptures.</P>
<P>As fit&s;t take notice what the <HI>Profit</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 1. 1. 22:</NOTE> <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;aith, which <HI>text</HI> I conceive is important to the que&s;tion in hand, in that it is an <HI>expo&s;ition</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>texts</HI> for|merly coated, &s;o that I need not u&s;e any other argument, &s;ave onely the <HI>language</HI> of this <HI>Profit</HI> who &s;heweth plainly that all tho&s;e of the 12. <HI>tribes</HI> were not true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> that all tho&s;e <HI>generations</HI> were not <HI>regenerate;</HI> therefore <HI>but a remnant &s;hall</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;: 21:</NOTE> <HI>returne even the remnant of Iacob &amp;c.</HI> &s;o that take notice, that although <HI>thy people O I&s;rael be as the &s;and of the Sea, yet but a remnant of them &s;hall returne,</HI> &s;o that deare friends, all that had their <HI>originall</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Note.</NOTE> from the <HI>loynes</HI> of <HI>Abraham,</HI> according to fle&s;h, were not true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as more fully will appeare in the next <HI>Scripture,</HI> where<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom: 9: 7.</NOTE> it is &s;aid they are not all <HI>children</HI> any whit the more; for being of the &s;eed of <HI>Abra|ham,</HI> as if he had &s;aid it matters not; for all their <HI>birth externall,</HI> in that their <HI>birth-right</HI> and <HI>evidence</HI> doth not ari&s;e there from, that <HI>birth-right</HI> which the <HI>Profit</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> here intends that <HI>birth|right</HI> by which thou art intituled, and &s;o
<PB REF="10"> cho&s;en one of true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> I &s;ay for all <HI>A|braham</HI> be thy <HI>kin&s;man</HI> according to fle&s;h, yet ob&s;erve thou art but onely of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> and not <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as &s;aith the <HI>Apo&s;tle for all</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 6.</NOTE> <HI>they are not I&s;rael which are of I&s;rael,</HI> &s;o that deare friends your <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> without <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion,</HI> your relation to <HI>Abraham</HI> and not with <HI>Izack</HI> is of no validity, becau&s;e &s;aith the <HI>text</HI> in <HI>Izack</HI> &s;hall thy <HI>&s;eed</HI> be called &s;o that this may put a period to a|ny &s;uch doubts or queeries, that may a&s;|&s;ault my expo&s;ition hereon, as to con|clude that any of <HI>Abrahams kindred</HI> were true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> &s;ave onely tho&s;e that were called in <HI>I&s;ack&punc;</HI> tho&s;e that were <HI>Children</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10 18.</NOTE> of the <HI>promi&s;e</HI> tho&s;e that were <HI>elected</HI> be|fore the <HI>foundation</HI> of the world, tho&s;e that were beloved in <HI>eternity,</HI> &amp; &s;o cho&s;en for true <HI>I&s;rael</HI> the&s;e and onely the&s;e are<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal 6: 16:</NOTE> true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as have beene by argument confirmed with <HI>&s;cripture</HI> proved.</P>
<P>Secondly what will trouble true <HI>I&s;ra|el</HI> <MILESTONE N="2"> true <HI>beleevers</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>In an&s;wer hereto I mu&s;t be &s;ilent in that there is &s;o many experienced <HI>Fathers Prophets</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> So many true <HI>I&s;|raelites,</HI> that can better then I give you &s;atisfaction herein &s;o that I &s;hall but onely rehear&s;e over their <HI>records</HI> in that &s;ome of you are not ver&s;ed in the letter
<PB REF="10"> and others there are that ob&s;erve not what they read, &s;o that deare friends if you plea&s;e to peru&s;e the <HI>Scripture,</HI> you &s;hall finde what troubled <HI>Noah</HI> and <HI>A|braham</HI> if not &s;ins &amp; iniquities, you &s;hall<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2: 7.</NOTE> finde <HI>Lot</HI> troubled with the &s;ins of <HI>Sodom,</HI> you &s;hall finde <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> troubled with the &s;ins of <HI>Iacobs children,</HI> you &s;hall finde <HI>Io|&s;hua</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Io&s;h: <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> 1: 7</NOTE> troubled with <HI>Achans</HI> wedge of gold, you &s;hall find <HI>Samuel</HI> troubled with he &s;ins of <HI>Saul</HI> you &s;hall finde <HI>Ieremiah</HI> weeping for the &s;in of his people, you &s;hall finde the <HI>di&s;ciples</HI> troubled with the &s;ins of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> So you &s;hall finde this <HI>El<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">jah</HI> this <HI>defendant</HI> troubled with the abominations of <HI>King Ahab,</HI></P>
<P>Thus deare friends I have given you the judgements of mo&s;t of the ancient and holy <HI>writers</HI> what have and what will trouble true <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> as &s;ins and ini|quitie of any &s;ort what&s;oever in e&s;pecial|ly that great &s;in of per&s;ecution committed and enacted dayly, again&s;t <HI>Elijahs</HI> kins|men, yet this is no trouble to <HI>Ahab</HI> nor his friends to have conventicles in <HI>ta|verns</HI> and <HI>ale-hou&s;es,</HI> in <HI>cities townes</HI> and <HI>pari&s;hes</HI> con&s;piring and plotting <HI>trea&s;on</HI> again&s;t the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Kings,</HI> inventing mi&s;|chiefe again&s;t the <HI>Saints</HI> of the mo&s;t high, yet in all this <HI>Ahab</HI> and his <HI>Kin&s;men</HI> are
<PB REF="11"> not here at troubled, yet on the contrary when <HI>Eliahs</HI> kin&s;men are a&s;&s;embled to|gether<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth: 7: 1</NOTE> either in <HI>fields boates</HI> or <HI>hou&s;es</HI> to teach or heare the word of God, not|with&s;tanding it be approved of by the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Kings,</HI> yet <HI>King Ahab</HI> and his kin&s;men, are much troubled, as that <HI>Eliah</HI> &s;hould wander up &amp; down the <HI>kingdom,</HI> preaching <HI>Me&s;ias</HI> to be the onely truth, this (and only this) is the ca&s;e that <HI>people kings</HI> and <HI>nations</HI> are troubled as this <HI>Eli|ah,</HI> this <HI>defendant</HI> had experience, being by a wicked <HI>King</HI> per&s;ecuted for a troubler of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> &s;aying art thou he that trou|bleth <HI>I&s;rael</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>Thus deare friends, the <HI>conclu&s;ion</HI> is clear that the troublers are fir&s;t troubled.</P>
<P>So that it is apparent my &s;econd <HI>pro|po&s;ition</HI> will vindicate it &s;elfe, and with Scripture defend it &s;elfe.</P>
<P>That a truth prophe&s;ied or preached<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Doct.</NOTE> by a poore <HI>Eliah,</HI> a poore &s;aint is e&s;teem|ed a trouble to the nobility of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>Deare friends, I hope by this time you are &s;atisfied that my conclu&s;ions do not con&s;i&s;t of untempored <HI>morter</HI> as <HI>Philo&s;o|phie</HI> onely, or <HI>Logick</HI> patched togethet with <HI>lincy woolcy,</HI> or &s;uch like &s;tuff; but that thou may with a poor <HI>pri&s;on<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">r</HI> con|clude that in them is no mixture, but true
<PB REF="11"> effects of that onely truth <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us</HI> in hopes thereof I &s;hall advance to meet with my adver&s;aries <HI>Ahabs kin&s;men</HI> the troublers of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>So that &s;mall time the Lord &s;hall ena|ble me to &s;peak, and give you hearts to heare.</P>
<P>I &s;hall deliver my judgement in this method which is.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, to prove the doctrine. <MILESTONE N="1"></P>
<P>Secondly, an&s;wer 3. objections. <MILESTONE N="2"></P>
<P>Thirdly, apply the &s;ame to whom it <MILESTONE N="3"> may concerne.</P>
<P>Were it not that &s;uppo&s;ed queries would <MILESTONE N="1"> hereafter ari&s;e, the text were &s;ufficient to prove the truth hereof, yet for your &s;a|tisfaction<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kin. 22.</NOTE> turne with me to <HI>Michaiah</HI> who for prophe&s;ying a truth did greatly offend <HI>King Ahab:</HI> &s;o <HI>Ierimiah</HI> for pro|phe&s;ying<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 37 15.</NOTE> a truth was counted a troubler<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 5. 18. 7. 51. 16, 20.</NOTE> of <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> &s;o the <HI>di&s;ciples</HI> of Chri&s;t wil ful|ly confirm this. <HI>Doct.</HI> As when they prea|ched the Lord Je&s;us, it cut the <HI>elders</HI> even to the heart; yea, they were &s;o exceeding|ly troubled, that little le&s;&s;e then death<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 2, 2 Act: 17: 6:</NOTE> mu&s;t be their reward: So in the like oc|ca&s;ion, you &s;hall hear the out-cry of peo|ple: &s;aying, the&s;e men do exceedingly trouble our <HI>City;</HI> yea for preaching the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act: 34: 5:</NOTE> Truth, you &s;hall be the men that turn the
<PB REF="12"> Kingdom up&s;ide down, and in conclu&s;ion<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 6. 7.</NOTE> e&s;teemed movers of &s;edition; yea trou|blers of Counties, Towns, and Pari&s;hes.<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Obj. 1.</NOTE></P>
<P>Yet &s;ay you we conceive &s;uch Truths &s;hould be &s;ilent, that we under&s;tand will hinder a <HI>Reformation,</HI> and &s;o trouble their<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 25. 11.</NOTE> proceedings as from the&s;e <HI>Scriptuures</HI> will appear. <HI>A word &s;poken in his place is</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 18.</NOTE> <HI>like Apples of Gold with Pictures of Sil|ver: So if it be po&s;&s;ible as much as in you is be at peace with all men&punc;</HI> I do &s;o conceive<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">An&s;w.</NOTE> too, provided that Reformation be <HI>real,</HI> not <HI>verbal,</HI> that under pretence of <HI>Refor|mation in Religion,</HI> doe root up <HI>Religion.</HI> I &s;ay if your Reformation be <HI>real,</HI> it mu&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> be in Truth; &s;o that <HI>Truth</HI> prophe&s;ied or preached, can in no kind be &s;aid to hinder but further a <HI>Reformation;</HI> in that Truth mu&s;t be the <HI>Foundation,</HI> Truth mu&s;t be the <HI>in&s;trumental</HI> ca&s;e; yea Truth mu&s;t be all in all in a true <HI>Reformation:</HI> So that your <HI>Scriptures</HI> if a true expo&s;ition be gi|ven theron, are much important to the que&s;tion in hand, in that a word in due &s;ea&s;on is commendable; yea, &s;aith <HI>Wi&s;|dome</HI> it produceth joy to the <HI>Speaker,</HI> and <HI>Auditory;</HI> yea, <HI>how good is a word in due &s;ea&s;on:</HI> But the que&s;tion is when is the Sea&s;on, if not to reprove a <HI>Child</HI> when he offends; if not to reprove <HI>David</HI> upon the
<PB REF="12"> act of <HI>Adultery:</HI> So when were a time more &s;ea&s;onable for <HI>Elijah</HI> to divulge a <HI>Famine;</HI> but when <HI>Ahab</HI> had <HI>Idolized</HI> his <HI>Pride</HI> and <HI>Voluptuou&s;ne&s;&s;e:</HI> &s;o that deare friends to conceal a Truth when Errours are publi&s;hed, is not the &s;ea&s;on, but to &s;peak a word in due &s;ea&s;on, is to preach <HI>light</HI> in <HI>darkne&s;&s;e,</HI> to divulge <HI>Truth</HI> in op|po&s;ition to <HI>Errors;</HI> as &s;aith the <HI>Apo&s;tle, Be</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4. 2</NOTE> <HI>instant in &s;ea&s;on, and out of &s;ea&s;on;</HI> &s;o that it is cleer, there is no &s;ea&s;on, but a <HI>Truth</HI> ought, nay mu&s;t be divulged (Provided) the God of <HI>Truth</HI> carry out thy heart by the Power of <HI>Truth;</HI> to &s;peak nothing but the <HI>Truth, as it is in Ie&s;us.</HI></P>
<P>I &s;ay to thee, it matters not, whether<NOTE PLACE="marg">So e&s;tee|med.</NOTE> <HI>learned</HI> or <HI>unlearned:</HI> whether a <HI>Trades|man</HI> or no; if God hath given thee a <HI>Ta|lent,</HI> thou mu&s;t <HI>tra&s;uck</HI> with it, as Chri&s;t hath the &s;aying: <HI>no man lights a candell to</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 15</NOTE> <HI>put under a bu&s;hel.</HI> So that it's the expre&s;&s;e command of Chri&s;t, that &s;uch &s;o gifted mu&s;t not be &s;ilent, lea&s;t in &s;o doing he be condemned for an unprofitable Servant:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25&punc; 26.</NOTE> but, <HI>&s;ay you, if it be po&s;&s;ible as much as in you is, be at peace with all men:</HI> True, it is a ble&s;&s;ed condition; but the que&s;tion is, whether the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> intends there the &s;i|lencing of <HI>Truth,</HI> that thereby you may attain love and peace with all men (or
<PB REF="13"> that) when thou art reviled of any man, not to revile again; as when thou art evill &s;poken off, not to &s;peak evill again: to this purpo&s;e, the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> hath his &s;aying, <HI>Re|compence to no man evil for evil:</HI> but if thy<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 17.</NOTE> enemy hunger feed him, &amp;c. This beloved is the Exhortation, that ye would be at peace with all men, <HI>that is,</HI> overcome their <HI>pride</HI> with your <HI>humility;</HI> overcome their <HI>malice</HI> with your <HI>love;</HI> overcome their<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 21.</NOTE> <HI>evill</HI> with your <HI>good,</HI> that &s;o if it be po&s;&s;i|ble, you may be at peace with all men, <HI>good</HI> or <HI>bad, friend</HI> or <HI>foe,</HI> &amp;c. (yet not &s;o) as to bury Truth; but in all love di&s;cover Truth, that Chri&s;t did not come to &s;end Peace without Truth, but Peace with Truth; that &s;o Truth and Peace may ki&s;&s;e each other, &amp;c.</P>
<P>But you will &s;ay who may wee mo&s;t &s;u&s;pect a many or a few the<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">Obj. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> wi&s;e or the ignorant tho&s;e that are gifted and called or tho&s;e that are not, in that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prou. 15. 7. 1 Cor. 7, 20.</NOTE> &s;aith the <HI>wi&s;eman the lipps of the wi&s;e di&s;per&s;e, knowledge,</HI> and &s;aith the <HI>Apo|&s;tle let every man abide in the &s;ame voca|tion wherein he</HI> was called. It is very re|qui&s;ite<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">An&s;w.</NOTE> to an&s;wer this objection in that the trouble may be imputed to the trou|blers, to th' end it may appear take the ad|vi&s;e of <HI>Elijah,</HI> he having experience can di|rect
<PB REF="13"> you the truth hereof that notwith|&s;tanding the <HI>prophets</HI> of <HI>Baal</HI> be <HI>four hundred</HI> and <HI>fifty</HI> in oppo&s;ition to one<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;. 19.</NOTE> poor <HI>Elijah,</HI> yet try your doctrine by the touch&s;tone of truth <HI>Chri&s;t Ie&s;us</HI> in which you &s;hall finde that the people of God the Family of love are not many but few, yea the fewe&s;t of all <HI>Sects</HI> or <HI>Churches</HI> what&s;oever, (So few) that it is the &s;ubject of Chri&s;t &s;aying <HI>my little</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 12. 32.</NOTE> <HI>flock</HI> two <HI>of a tribe</HI> one of a <HI>city,</HI> So that it may be &s;u&s;pected if not concluded that an error may be found in many and a truth in few, but &s;ay you the&s;e <HI>prophets</HI> &s;o many, this <HI>a&s;&s;embly</HI> &s;o great, are men of wi&s;dome; therfore cannot erre, neither is there any colour or &s;hew that the&s;e &s;hould prophe&s;ie a lie and one poore <HI>traid&s;man</HI> that hath no leaarning &s;hould preach a trueth, in that &s;aith the text the lips of the <HI>wi&s;e</HI> not the <HI>ignorant</HI> O deare friends what <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> is this, what <HI>wi&s;e men</HI> are the&s;e, whether you intend the <HI>wi&s;e men</HI> the <HI>Sorcerers</HI> of <HI>Egypt,</HI> or <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron,</HI> whether the <HI>Magici|ans</HI> the <HI>A&s;trologians</HI> or <HI>Daniel,</HI> whether the <HI>Scribes</HI> &amp; <HI>Phari&s;ees</HI> or Chri&s;t and his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> Dear friends have you not read that God will confound the <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> of the wi&s;e; &s;o that he &s;aith where <HI>is the
<PB REF="14"> wi&s;e where is the Scribe, where is the di&s;|puteer</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 19. 20.</NOTE> <HI>of this world hath not God made the wi&s;dom of this world fooli&s;hne&s;&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></P>
<P>Is not this too too apparant that, that which is fooli&s;hne&s;&s;e with God is wi&s;dom with man that which is of no validity with God is in high e&s;timation with man, if not why not the ignorant &s;o accounted as the learned, Oh my deare friend that I might prevail with this <HI>court</HI> in the behalf of <HI>Ahabs</HI> kin&s;|men, O that the&s;e tears might move the Judg of the Court to &s;hew kindne&s;&s;e un|to them; notwith&s;tanding their unkind|ne&s;&s;e towards <HI>Elijahs</HI> friends: this is the evill: this is the injury that I wi&s;h my Adver&s;aries; even this, that the <HI>Lord</HI> the <HI>Iudg</HI> of this <HI>Court</HI> would open their eys, that &s;o they might &s;ee the evill of their doings; even this evill, of accu&s;ing and attaching innocent <HI>Elijah,</HI> inocent Saints for troublers of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> when you have heard they are found troublers them&s;elvs but &s;ay you the&s;e <HI>Elijahs</HI> kin&s;men ought to follow their vocation, their trades and callings appointed them, &amp; not take upon them the work of the <HI>Mini&s;tery,</HI> wanting parts enabling them therto; by which all <HI>&s;candals, reproaches, and tumults</HI> would be taken away, and <HI>People, Citiet, Towns,</HI> and
<PB REF="14"> <HI>Villages,</HI> would be at peace and unity.</P>
<P>Dear friends, do but &s;eriou&s;ly con&s;ider the extent of this <HI>Apologie</HI> or <HI>Expo&s;ition</HI> on this <HI>Scripture;</HI> let every man abide in<NOTE PLACE="marg">That is in reference to a hu|man Cal|ling, not a divine cal, being con|firmed a Mini&s;ter, may have both. Mat. 6. 3. Act. 18. 3.</NOTE> the vocation wherin he was called: from hence you infer, that no man ought to lay a&s;ide or change his calling, or that a man &s;o called, &s;o traided, ought not to a&s;&s;ume to him&s;elf another Calling. In an&s;wer to this <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and the <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> are engaged, in that the&s;e a&s;per&s;ions &amp; fal&s;e imputati|ons doth as highly concern the~, as any o|ther in that, we under&s;tand Chri&s;t was a <HI>Carpenter,</HI> the Di&s;ciples <HI>Fi&s;her-men, Paul &amp; Aquila</HI> was <HI>Tent-makers;</HI> yet notwith|&s;tanding their <HI>crafts,</HI> they took upon the~ the work of the <HI>Ministery,</HI> as appeareth in the Record, where you may find <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> que&s;tioned by what <HI>authority</HI> he did <HI>preach.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4.</NOTE> So the <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> was examined, in who&s;e Name they did teach, &amp; do miracles, &amp;c. yet wanted a human <HI>call,</HI> having no expe|rience of any <HI>Vniver&s;itie</HI> or <HI>Colledg</HI> what|&s;oever; yet wanted no ability to divide the Word of God aright, or to cary forth that holy &amp; <HI>heavenly me&s;&s;age</HI> of the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Kings,</HI> but were in a high mea&s;ure ap|proved of by God, &amp; therby <HI>authorized</HI> by the divine in&s;piratio~ to the a&s;toni&s;hme~t of their adver&s;aries, by being not only able
<PB REF="15"> <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> of the <HI>Letter,</HI> but able <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of the <HI>Spirit,</HI> fro~ thence &s;tudying to &s;hew the~&s;elvs approved, not only by man but God, and therby vindicating their calling &amp; in&s;titutio~ fro~ &s;uch <HI>reproches</HI> &amp; <HI>tumults</HI> affirming that it doth not ari&s;e from their Preaching, but from their envious &s;pirits, in that they &s;eek their own prai&s; &amp; credit more then the prai&s;e or credit of God, and hereby are inraged with cruelty over the Saints of the mo&s;t high, &s;uppo&s;ing to blot out, or at lea&s;t &s;ilence the <HI>language</HI> of the <HI>Scripture,</HI> which the <HI>Apostle</HI> hath &s;o fully&punc;<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> Cor. 1. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> Tim. 1. 11 1 Cor. 4. 1</NOTE> recorded that he was by the will of God appointed, <HI>A Preacher, an Apo&s;tle, &amp; a tea|cher of the Gentiles; therfore let</HI> I&s;rael <HI>&s;o think of us as of the mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t, &amp; di&s;po&s;ers of the &s;ecrets of God.</HI> So that it is cleer, that the troublers are fir&s;t troubled, wicked <HI>Ahab</HI> for breaking the co~mands of God, &amp; not <HI>Elijab;</HI> &s;aying, I have not: no, it is <HI>thou and thy Fathers hou&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>But &s;ay you, we are to give no offence<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum"><HI>Obj.</HI> 3. 1 Cor. 10. 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> to any what&s;oever high or low, rich or poor, <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> or <HI>Heathens,</HI> as &s;aith the <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI> give none offence, neither to <HI>Iewes</HI> nor to the <HI>Grecians,</HI> nor to the <HI>Church</HI> of God; therefore you are not to proceed in &s;uch a way that doe of|fend, not only in the <HI>&s;ingular,</HI> but <HI>plu|rall,</HI> even a whole <HI>Kingdome.</HI></P>
<PB REF="15">
<P>It is requi&s;ite every man &s;hould be cau|tious<NOTE PLACE="marg" TYPE="runSum">An&s;w.</NOTE> herein, and very watchfull and cir|cum&s;pect, that nothing be acted by thee, that may offend the adver&s;e party; that although it be thy liberty to <HI>eat</HI> or <HI>drink</HI> or do any &s;uch thing; yet if it be a bon|dage to another, I conceive thou ought to forbear in that it is but morall; &s;o in|different, that notwith&s;tanding it be lawfull to thee, yet it is not expedient for the other: Therefore (&s;aith the <HI>Apo|&s;tle</HI>)<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 8. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1+ letters"></NOTE> <HI>if meat offend my brother, I will never eat fle&s;h &s;o long as I live;</HI> would <HI>Paul</HI> for|bear to eat that which is comfortable &amp; refre&s;hing to the body, and all that he might not offend his brother, &s;o I co~ceive ought every <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> to forbear &s;uch things as are indifferent, in&s;tance <HI>days, times,</HI> and <HI>&s;ea&s;ons,</HI> concerning which hath been a great offence in <HI>cities, towns,</HI> and <HI>villages,</HI> in that &s;ome <HI>e&s;teems one day above another, and another man counteth e|very doy alike:</HI> So that &s;aith the <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14&punc;</NOTE> let every man be fully per&s;waded in his minde, which per&s;wa&s;ion will remove all offences; that notwith&s;tanding &s;ome ope~ their <HI>&s;hops,</HI> others &s;hut their <HI>&s;hops,</HI> yet if both per&s;waded, what need offence ari&s;e, but if it do ari&s;e, the ri&s;e therof is offence given. So the offender, then to ob&s;erve, or
<PB REF="16"> not ob&s;erve a day is no offence, but if thou that keeps the day be offended at me for not ob&s;erving the day, thou gives offence; &s;o the offender the di&s;turber of Peace, the troubler of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> As ob&s;erve, two men of two <HI>judgements,</HI> one for <HI>&s;prinkling</HI> of <HI>infants,</HI> the other for <HI>dipping believers,</HI> yet thou art in peace with one, and he in peace with the other, &s;o that there is no offence in either, but now if he that is <HI>&s;prinkled</HI> be offended at he that is <HI>dipped,</HI> then the party <HI>&s;prinkled</HI> gives the offence; &s;o the offender the troubler of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> As is confirmed in one remarka|ble pa&s;&s;age betwixt the <HI>Lord Major</HI> of <HI>London,</HI> and a <HI>Con&s;table</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>City&punc;</HI> in who&s;e <HI>Ward</HI> there was &s;ome Saints a&s;|&s;embled together, to rea&s;on out the <HI>mi|&s;teries</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;pell;</HI> concerning which, notice was given to the <HI>neighbours,</HI> that there was a <HI>private conventicle,</HI> at which they were ready to obey their father, and with all vigilance to put his work in agi|tation, which was done accordingly, in|&s;omuch that there was a great tumult; upon which the <HI>Con&s;table</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>Pa|ri&s;h</HI> did inform the <HI>Lord Major,</HI> and withall de&s;ire <HI>a warrant</HI> to fetch tho&s;e Saints before his <HI>Lord&s;hip,</HI> to which the <HI>Lord Major</HI> replied, by whom is the tu|mult
<PB REF="16"> from them within, or them with|out? the &s;aid <HI>Con&s;table</HI> being convinc'd of the truth thereof an&s;wered, from them without, then make the <HI>warrant</HI> to ap|prehend the~ without, &amp;c. From hence let all &s;orts of people ob&s;erve, that he that is the 1. troubled is the troubler, he that takes the offence gives the offence, &s;o the offender. Then it may be concluded, that <HI>Elijahs</HI> kin&s;men, tho&s;e that you call <HI>Con|venticlers,</HI> tho&s;e that you call <HI>Tub-prea|chers,</HI> tho&s;e that are <HI>trade&s;men,</HI> that have no human <HI>learning,</HI> do not give offence, do not trouble true <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> No, no, it is <HI>Ahabs</HI> kin&s;men; &s;uch as deride, reproach, &amp; per&s;ecute <HI>Elijahs</HI> friends, the Saints of the mo&s;t high; the&s;e and &s;uch as the&s;e are the offenders, the troublers of true <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> Thus dear friends, having with all brevi|ty that might be, &amp; with as much &s;obrie|ty as the Lord hath afforded me, collected the quinte&s;&s;ence of the Text into 2. con|clu&s;ions, &amp; from the~ce reduc'd the excel|lence therin contained into &s;everall bran|ches, &s;o that little el&s;e can be expected; only my conclu&s;ion in 2. things, which is. 1. That you would walk circum&s;pectly in<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1+ letters"> 14, 16.</NOTE> all your ways, that &s;o your accu&s;ation may appear with <HI>Elijah &s;uppo&s;itive,</HI> and not <HI>affirmative;</HI> therefoer &s;aith Chri&s;t, be|ware of men: &s;o &s;ay I, beware of <HI>Ahabs</HI>
<PB REF="17"> kin&s;men, de&s;erve no &s;tain in your white <HI>raiment,</HI> that they have no &s;infull act to brand your <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> with, knowing this, that if thou be a friend of <HI>Elijah,</HI> thou ha&s;t many enemies that waits for thy fal|ling; therefore I &s;ay, be vigilant in all that thou do, that when thou art accu&s;ed&punc; and attached by <HI>Ahabs</HI> friends thy cau&s;e may he as inno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">t as <HI>Elijah,</HI> that &s;o the judge of the <HI>Court</HI> may vindicate thy good name from fal&s;e <HI>information. &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>If it &s;o fall out, thou be the man that <MILESTONE N="2"> is ptr&s;ecuted by <HI>Ahab</HI> or his friends, my reque&s;t is, thou would be exhorted by <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> to be arm'd with <HI>Elijah's</HI> pati|ence, that &s;o thou may overcome their evill with good, and labor with all meek|ne&s;&s;e and tender re&s;pects, to redeem that time they lo&s;e, in letting thy <HI>light</HI> &s;o<NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 5 16</NOTE> &s;hine before men of all <HI>&s;orts</HI> and <HI>Sects</HI> what&s;oever, that thereby <HI>Ahabs</HI> acquain|tance may have the like occa&s;ion to glori|&s;ie God, as they had by thy friend <HI>Elijah,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>the Lord is God, the Lord is God.</HI> Thus having done; thou &s;halt overthrow the <HI>treachery</HI> of any adver&s;aries, in the &s;aying of <HI>Elijah. I have not troubled</HI> I&s;|rael, <HI>but thou and thy fathers hou&s;e, in that ye have for&s;aken the commandements of the Lord, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
