Baxter's Book, Entitled, The Cure of Church-Divisions, ANSWERED & CONFUTED. And he proved to be a Physician of NO VALUE: Who hath manifested his Folly and Weakness in undertaking a Work which he hath so little Understanding in  
By Thomas Taylor.  
For, from the least of them, even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to Covetousness, etc.— They have Healed also the Hurt of the Daughter of my People with sweet words, saying, Peace, Peace; when there is no Peace,  Jer. 6.13, 14. 
— But ye are Forgers of Lies; ye are all Physicians of no Value,  Job 13.4. 
Printed in the Year, 1671.   

Baxter's Book, Entitled, The Cure of Church-Divisions, ANSWERED & CONFUTED.  
RICHARD BAXTER, a man, who through a show of Learning and Religion, had gotten (in Oliver Crumwel's days) a great esteem in the minds of the ignorantly Zealous Professors of Religion in this Nation, and especially in the parts of Worcester-shire, about Kidderminster, where he then resided) hath since the change of the Times, and coming in of the Old Common-prayer-Book again, much manifested his Nakedness, Confusion, and Unsoundness to every Eye, that in any measure is open to see the difference of Truth and Error in the ground of it, as by his works appear: and that it is so, amongst other things, that Book of his, falsely called, The Cure of Church-Divisions, which I have now underhand to answer, doth plainly manifest: For, instead of curing Divisions, he hath showed himself to be a Physician of no value, & so instead of curing hath struck at (under a Judas Kiss of Unity & Concord) the very Life and Foundation of all true Christian Unity and Amity; to wit, The Free and Perfect Teachings, and Gifts, and Work of the Spirit of Truth (the Spirit of the Father and Son in his believing Members) whereby they cry in a spotless Mind, Abba Father, and freely and powerfully declare the Glory of his Kingdom to the Children of Men; and instead thereof, would bring in and establish that Soul-deceiving and Church-dividing doctrine of Humane Learning and Humane Helps, as absolutely necessary to the procuring and engaging, as it were, the Holy unlimited God to give unto the Creature his holy Spirit, and the Knowledge of the Mysteries of his Eternal Will and Kingdom for the same; as in Answer to an Objection in the 6th page of his Book, in his first Direction (so called) is to be seen. The Objection against his carnal Reasonings, for Old Men's knowledge, is in pag. 5. where he saith.  
I know those that I have to do with will say, That Divinity is not learned by Labour and Men's-teaching, as other Sciences and Arts are; but by Teaching, (I add, yea, and most free Gift) of the Spirit of God, and therefore the Youngest may have as much of it as the Eldest.  
And to this R. B. there thus answers.  
Answ. There is some Truth (saith he) and some Falsehood, and much Confusion in this Objection.  
Reply, But O the Darkness, ye●, rather Enmity, that is in Baxter's heart against the free Teaching of God's Spirit! that he would find any thing against so plain and manifest Truth, as is in this Objection! But what will not Flesh do that is lifted up with Conceits of his own wisdom, to keep up its Honour before the people, rather than the Pure Undoubted Truth of the Gospel, and Self-abasing Spirit of Truth, should Reign and have the Pre-eminence.  
But let us hear how this R.B. proves that, that there is either 〈◊〉 or Confusion in the Objection.  
It is true (saith he) that the saving Knowledge of Divinity must be taught by the Spirit of God; but it is false, that Labour and Humane Teaching are not the Means which must be used by them who will have the Teaching of the Spirit.  
But to this I say, That a Child of Light, in the least Measure, doth easily see the Falsehood of that spirit, by which this R.B. is acted in this his answer: For the wind of the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, thou natural Man; but neither knows whence it comes, nor whither it goes; so is every one that's born of God: And without this Birth, all thy knowledge is damning, not saving, John 3.7, 8. etc. And Job 32.7, 8. I said days should Speak, and multitude of years should Teach Wisdom: but there is a Spirit in man; and the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth them Understanding. And saith God, It shall come to pass in the last days, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh; and they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest: yea, and Youngmen shall see Visions, and Servants and Handmaids shall Prophesy: and ye have received an Unction from the Holy One: and ye know all things, (saith the Apostle John) and ye need not that any man teach you. This is the Day of the Lord, wherein these things are fulfilled; praised be God: And the new Covenant abundantly witnessed in the Children of Light, whom this wicked Book of Baxter's strikes at; but his Wickedness turns upon his own Pate, and his own Inquities shall slay him: For he, by his carnal Wisdom; would darken Knowledge, and shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men, as his Predecessors of old, the Pharisees mentioned Mat. 23. did: But the Lord hath opened a Door to the Believing Souls this Day, which all the powers of Darkness shall never be able to shut; Glory to his Name forever.  
But what is that Labour and Humane Means that People must use for getting the Spirit of God, or saving Knowledge of Divinity, as he calls it: Is it tumbling over a Ruck of Books, stuffed with art and Humane Wisdom, or Learning from below; as this R.B. hath long done, to the darkening of his Heart from the Knowledge of God, and Way of his Spirit; so that he knows nothing of it after all his long lost labour, but what he knows naturally, as a bruit Beast (and that's plain) for it sanctifies him not, as by his confessing, That his best Duties, even his Prayers are not without sin; and affirming, that no man prays without sin? as in his Book is to be seen, page 195, and in his Preface.  
And so the Prayer of Faith, and Preaching by the Spirit, he is ignorant of; yea, Preaching by the Spirit is become a Mock and a Derision to him and his Brethren at this day: but Paul, and all the Ministers of Christ, Magnify the Free Grace and Infinite Gift of the Spirit of God, according to that (2 Cor. 3.) Saying, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think a good Thought; but our Ability is of God, who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament; not of the Letter, but of the Spirit; for the Letter kills, but the Spirit gives Life: And that which the Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath entered into the Heart of man (or Humane Heart) to conceive, hath God revealed to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the Deep Things of God; and which Things we Preach or Speak not in the words which man's (or Humane) Wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual, 1 Cor. 2.  
But this R.B. comparing Spiritual things with Carnal, is not wise, who, because old men, and long Students in Arts and worldly Sciences are most Wise, or likely to be so; therefore they that labour and study most in Books of Divinity (so called) get most of the Spirit's teaching.  
O sad! That ever the minds of the Children of Men should be so covered with darkness, and yet read the Scripture of Truth, which witnesses to no one thing more than to the Free Teachings of the Spirit of God, without humane Helps! For all the Help that is humane, or that man who is (ab humo, that is) from the Earth can afford, is but natural, and of this World, which comes to nought; therefore is it said, That none of the Princes (that is, the chief men) of this World knew the Mystery of Christ and his Kingdom then, which made them so band against him, see the 2d Psalm. And the Natural Man, with all his natural means, discerns not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are spiritually discerned: So every one that would know the Mind of the Spirit of God, must come to feel (through the Most Holy Faith) a measure of it in themselves: For, after ye believed, ye were sealed with the Spirit of Promise, saith Paul: And the Word is nigh thee, even in thy Heart and Mouth: O thou that hast an Ear to hear, hear what the Spirit speaks, even the Word of Faith, which we Preach. Therefore go not forth from the Anointing of God in thy Heart, to hear the frothy and false Doctrine of such as R.B. who have run and set up themselves by their humane Helps, in the place of Teachers, and God never sent them, and therefore they cannot profit the People at all; but lead them about, like silly Women, laden with divers Sins and Lusts; yea, in their Prayers and best Performances, as is manifest; and so, not being sent and enabled by God's Spirit, they can never lead you to it, but from it, as is manifest.  
Also R. B. in pag. 6. before mentioned, saith, The Objection hath much Confusion in it. (and how proves he that, but by saying) 1. It confoundeth the Spirit's teaching us, by inditing the Scripture with the Spirit's teaching us the meaning of the Scriptures. 2. And it confoundeth the common Knowledge of Divinity, with the saving Knowledge of it. No man cometh to a common Knowledge, fit for a Teacher of others, without the Spirit's teaching by the Scriptures; for that was the first part of the Spirits teaching us, to inspire the Prophets and Apostles, to deliver a Teaching Word to the Churches, by which we might all be taught of God through all Generations. But many men have excellent common Knowledge by this Word, and by the common help of the Spirit, without that special Help, which begetteth saving Knowledge: And all Knowledge requireth Time and Labour to obtain it, though the Spirit giveth it, and though it may be sanctified to us in a little time; but that may be a means of saving others, which saveth not the man that hath it.  
And in pag. 114. farther saith, Take them not for no Ministers that want Grace totally: and marvel not that Gifts are more necessary to the validity of Ministration, than Grace is; he may perform the Office of a Minister to the benefit of the Church, that hath no Saving Grace at all. Thus for Rich, Baxter.  
O! What Sorcery and Egyptian-Darkness is here, to make void the New Covenant, and Free Gracious Teachings of the Spirit of God in these days, and to establish the Letter in the room and stead thereof, which only witnesses to it, and is a Declaration concerning what the Spirit of God did in them, and in the World before Christ's coming in the Flesh, and what was done during his being in it, and what the Spirit would do in the Believing Souls, and in the World after that time? But this the Hirelings do, that they by their trading with, and giving their false meanings upon the Scriptures, they may keep the people in Blindness, and so from the Anointing, and Teaching, and Enjoyment of that Spirit that was in them that gave forth Scriptures, that they may not see their deceitful Doctrines and Merchandizes, lest they should buy no more of them: For no man that knows the Badness of Babylon will buy them any more, and then will the Merchants of Souls Mourn: For, they that know the Lord, and his Spirit's Teaching in them, which is the Good Old Way, yea, and the ever New, Fresh, Profitable, and Living WAY; will follow no more such men, as would bring in, and establish a Graceless Ministry, as this Baxter doth here, to his everlasting Shame. But such Graceless Priests the Lord will have none of; nor his People neither: For my Sheep hear my Voice, saith Christ, and a Stranger they will not hear: Surely a Graceless Man is this Stranger: They (to wit, graceless men, saith John, 1 Epist. 4.) are of the World, and the World hear them; we are of God; Stewards of the manifold Grace of God, 1 Pet 4 10 And they that are of God hear us.  
And so, ever Blessed and Praised be the Great and Glorious Name of the Lord Jesus, who hath restored to them that obey him, the Glorious Doctrine of the Spirit's Teaching, as was in the Apostles days, according to his true Promise; where all in the Truth (of which we, the People of God, in scorn called Quakers, are Members) where all, I say, is done in and by the Holy Spirit, praised be God, and nothing owned amongst us, but what is so done: Here is Praying in and by the Spirit, and Preaching in and by the Spirit, and Singing in and by the Spirit of our Holy Lord God; and so the Head being Spiritual, and the Members of the Body every one Spiritual (for we are all Baptised by one Holy Spirit into the one Heavenly Body) our Food is also Spiritual Heavenly Bread, and Heavenly Wine, and the Water Spiritual that Sanctifies us, and makes us clean to God in all our Sacrifices and Services: for Christ gave himself for his Church, which is his Body, that he might wash it, and present it spotless to himself, and without all Deformity, by the washing of Water (even the Water of Life) in the Word of Life, the creating Word of the everlasting Father, which is Spirit and Life, the Resurrection and the Life in every believing Soul; for we are redeemed from Death thereby, that we might forever hereafter serve God, in the newness of his own Spirit, and not in the oldness of the Letter, as all such do as know no other teaching Word but the Letter, as this Baxter doth; and so they having gotten a little Brain-knowledge by their humane helps, and not by the Spirit of Truth, they wrest Scripture to their own and others destruction, desiring and boasting themselves to be Masters and Teachers of others, whilst themselves need teaching what the very Principles, or beginning Doctrines of the true Christian Religion is, as is plainly manifested by his seeking to bring in a graceless Minister, or Wolf into Christ's Fold, surely the Wolf comes not but to rob and destroy. All that ever came before me, saith Christ, are Thiefs and Robbers, and never came in by the Door, as its plain, the graceless man, doth not, but hath climbed up another way by his humane helps, as Baxter speaks; and to this purpose, see John the 10th, and Mat. 23. where Christ at large sets forth such woolfish Teachers; who can perk themselves up in Places of Teachers, by the World's help outwardly; but will neither enter into the Kingdom of God themselves, nor suffer others, but shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men, by such deceitful Doctrine and Antichristian Inventions, as this Baxter hath, by saying, That Gifts are more necessary to the validity of Ministration, than Grace is; and that he may perform the Office of a Minister to the benefit of the Church, that hath no Saving Grace at all; And all knowledge requireth Time and Labour to obtain it, though the Spirit giveth it; which last saying doth directly thwort and contradict the Scripture; which saith, I was found of them that sought me not, I●a 65.1. And Paul sets believing and working in this great matter of the knowledge of God and Christ to Salvation, one against the other, as the way of the Law and Gospel, for 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉, saith he, is the reward reckoned of Debt, not gift of Grace; but to 〈…〉 it is of Grace, to the Glory of God's great Love to man; for saith Scripture, God so loved the World, that he gave his Son, that whosoever on him believe, should not perish; but have Life Eternal; And none can truly say, but those are the best 〈◊〉, and wisest People that have Eternal Life in them; though they never laboured for it, nor sought for it; and so such as this Baxter, who looks at all, as obtained by Time and Labour, they are those spiritual proud ones, who are swelled so big with spiritual Pride, that self Idolising sin, which, as himself saith, in his second Direction (so called) is the great Rebel against God, the chief part of the Devil's Image; that one sin which breaketh every Commandment; the heart of the old Man, the Root and Parent, and Summery of all other sin; the Antichristian Vice, which is most directly contrary to the Life of Christ, etc. and these Letter-wise-men, that have patched together a Garment of Fig-leaves, to cover their sinful nakedness, are proud of mere supposed spiritual excellencies; for the way of the Blessed Spirit, and its free Gifts, and free workings in the Children of Men, they are strangers unto; and then through their Humane, Learning and lost Labour, having gotten a little or a great deal of talk from the Letter of the Scripture concerning Religion, in their Earthly Spirits, which sees nothing of the Kingdom of God; they condemn the Generation of the Just, whom God Teacheth and Blesseth with all Spiritual knowledge in Heavenly things, and call them Spiritually proud; because they cannot but speak very highly, and yet in the truest humility of Heart, concerning the great things that God hath done for their Souls; and because they cannot join with the Wicked whom God abhoreth, neither in their Worship, nor other sinful Customs.  
And so out of that old Bottle, come all those unsavoury expressions of R. B. before mentioned, against the free Teachings of God's Spirit; yea so great an Enemy he is to the wholesome Doctrine of free Grace, that Pag. 7. he saith, Is it not Blaspheming of God's Spirit to make it the Patron of men's sloth and idleness under pretence of Magnifiying Grace.  
To which I answer, That pretending we deny, and truly say, with the Apostle, That God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined in our Hearts, to give us (yea, most freely without our own Labour, or any humane Help) The knowledge of the Glory of his Kingdom; and those that call this Doctrine, either in the Apostle, or us, a Patronising of Sloth and Idleness, are those that do really blaspheme God's Spirit which teacheth it.  
But many Texts (saith R. B.) commands us diligence; and sloth is a great Sin.  
To which I say, the Scripture indeed commands a diligent improvement, and Holy exercise of the free Gifts which the Spirit hath giveth the Faithful: But the Scripture never said, that Humane Labour and Helps are the Means to be used for getting the Spirit's Teachings; and without which no knowledge in Spiritual Matters is now received; Stir up the Gift of God in thee, saith Paul to Timothy, so say I; But he no where puts the Humane or Carnal man to Work or Labour to get the Spirit; for that is quite contrary to this Scripture, Gal. 3.2. as also Rom. 9.16.  Obj. 
But this Baxter asks this Question, Why hath God settled a Teaching Office in his Church, and commanded all to attend, and hear, and learn; if we are taught by the Spirit without man's help? Why were the Apostles sent forth into all the World, & c?  Answer, 
Here is the great stumbling of these Unbelievers, (the Worldly wise ones indeed) what, because God in his free unlimited Spirit did begift men, and in his own Spiritual Power sent them forth to preach and publish all abroad the Glory of his Kingdom, and Good Will to men; cannot People therefore be taught by the Spirit without man's Help? What reasonings this? when the Scripture expressly saith, That all the Gifts and Alities, Helps, and Means of bringing People to God, and the Knowledge, and Enjoyment of all the Good Things of his Kingdom, are merely, solely & wholly from God & his blessed Spirit's free Gift in Christ, and not from man at all: And therefore, when the Corinthians began to look at man, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, he calls it Carnal, and said, Christ was not divided; signifying, plainly it was Christ, and the Spirit of his Power that alone did all in all; as Christ said, John 15. Without me you can do nothing; for in the True Church Christ ever was, and ever will be all in all, & man nothing; as Paul said of himself, Paul is nothing: But in the False Church where R. B. is pleading for man; yea Graceless Ministers, man is all, and Christ suffered to have no Rule: But those mine Enemies, saith Christ, That would not that I should Rule, bring them and stay them before my face.  
But what sottishness is this in R. B. to ask such a Question as this when himself confessed in the very last words before it; That none are so forward to preach as these same men that cry down men's Teaching: Whereby it plainly appears that we do not deny God's Teachings, and the Spirit's Good and Gracious Gifts freely given for the edifying and building up of the Body of Christ; till we all come to a perfect man, to the measure and feature of the fullness of Christ, no more than the Apostle did, Ephes. 4.11. etc. but that which we cry down, is that Antichristian spirit in R. B. and all such men as by setting up self; and flesh would draw from Christ and his Teachings in Spirit to look at them, and their painted words, and love kill Doctrines; who are this day Goliath like come forth to defy the Armies of the Living God; but the Stone cut out of the Mountain, without Hands, shall dash them and their Images all to pieces: Glory to the Lord for Ever. And though they with their Humane or Earthly spirit and Sorceries, withstand the Truth and Spirit thereof, as Jamnes and Jambres withstood Moses, when he was about to call Israel out of Egypt; yet as their Folly was soon seen, so are these, and they shall not proceed far; but Israel out of Egypt shall go, and those Faithful ones that are escaped shall they not with all their Enchantment bring back again into Egypt: Glory to the Lord for Ever Amen.  
But wouldst thou indeed know, Oh vain man, R.B. for what the Apostles, who had Ability to preach (without man's help) were sent forth, than thou mayst know, it was to reprove such as thee that would limit God to vain man's Help, and to call his People from amongst you, who lay heavy Burdens on men's Shoulders, but will not touch them with one of your Fingers; it is even so.  
But whereas thou addest and sayest, Those are taught of God, who are taught by those who are sent of God to be their Teachers: It plainly shows the numerous Company thou boasts of, who believe thee, are not taught of God; for thy Doctrine already mentioned shows most plainly that thou wast never sent of God; for never did any, whom God sent, set themselves against the free and Gracious Teaching and Gifts of God's Spirit, to Establish Humane Helps, as thou dost: But as if that which thou hast said were nothing, thou addest Pag. 8.  
Advise with the experience of all the World; Who was the man that ever you knew, able to Expound one Chapter in the Bible by the inward Teachings of the Spirit alone, without any Labour of his own, or Help from others by Voice or Writing? Where dwelleth the man, who by mere Inspiration can turn one Chapter out of the Hebrew or Greek into the vulgar Tongue? and where is the man that can solidly unfold any Doctrine of Divinity, which he never read or heard of, or can Teach that Truth, and deny that Religion which he was never taught by man.  
And afterwards in his Second Direction, and Pag. 16. having led his wretched Disciples into a Labyrinth or Mist of words, about their uncertainties in their Matters of Knowledge; and having advised them to humility, as he calls it, or not to think too highly of their own knowledge; he there adds, and says in that 16th. Page especially, If you know your advantages for knowledge have been less than other men's, that you are young; or that it is but a few Years since you entered upon the study of the Scriptures; or that you have not any stronger natural Parts then other men; that you have not had that Measure of Learning which might further your knowledge of the Holy Scriptures; but that others that differ from you have had much more of all these Helps and Means than you, and have Prayed more, and Meditated more, etc.  
And in Pag. 17. in his Answer to an Objection; which is, That the Learnedest men are not always the wisest in the matters of Religion; he saith, many men are learned in the Languages and Sciences, who are not learned in the Scripture; because they applied not their Studies that way; and many men are learned in the Scriptures and Sacred Languages who yet live in sin, though they are able to Teach the Truth, for others: (here by the way) all may take notice what a False Teacher this Baxter is, who is not ashamed to say, That man that lives in sin, may Teach the Truth for others; for such as live in sin neither know the Truth (which is Christ) nor have seen him, (as John's first Epist. Chap. 3. expressly saith) but this Baxter goeth on and saith: But those that well understand the Scriptures without learning the Languages which they are written in, and the Customs of those Times, and Countries, or without much reading, and long study of the Scriptures themselves, and the Writings of them that better understand them, are so few, if any at all; that if you will pretend to be one of them, you had need of some Miracle, or something like a Miracle, to make yourselves or others believe that you are not deceived.  
I Might here add his other false Doctrines immediately following these in that his Book, as his Answer to an Objection there set down against singularity, or so; the Objection is this: The greater Number are not always in the Right; therefore why should my singulary discourage me: But because his Answer hath pretty many words in it, I refer it to another place, and to what he hath already said do answer, and say in brief thus.  
First, That as by his other words, so also by these it is most, manifest from what Fountain this Baxter's knowledge hath proceeded, to wit, not from the Inspiration of the Eternal Spirit, which gave forth Scripture; but from his own Earthly or Natural spirit and Humane Industry and Studies, and trading in Books and Letters without him, from which Earthly or Humane Spirit and Wisdom hath not come (nor possible ever can come to any) the right meaning and understanding of Holy Scripture (as such as he would have it) for the natural man as the Apostle saith, Perceiveth not the things that be of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.14. But all false Visions, and lying Divinations have ever come from that Earthly spirit, and all the cruel wrest of the Holy Scriptures from the beginning to this day, have proceeded from it, to the miserable and woeful undoing of the Generality of that People called Christendom; as also the Bloodsheds, and all the cruel usage of Spiritual Minded Men, for their pure Conscience sake, have issued from that Fountain of the Earthly spirit, and the false Births thereof from the beginning, and that great Whore found Guilty of all; for in her was found the Blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the Earth, R●●●. 18.24. for what Spiritual man did ever ask such a Question, or rather affirm; for in him, his question is an affirmation, to wit, That no man is able by the inward Teachings of the Spirit alone to Expound one Chapter in the Bible: And that there is none can solidly Unfold any Doctrine of Divinity, which he never read or heard of, or can teach the Truth, or defend that Religion which he was never taught by man.  
Oh happy therefore are they who are come to the Everlasting Covenant of God, and to know the inward Teachings and Leadings of his Holy Spirit in their Heart, to Led them into all Truth according to Promise, Joh. 16. without being beholding to Vain Man's Help; for whereof is he to be accounted, as is manifest, even as a Thing of naught, is the best of them, out of the Truth: For O! How Ignorant of the Ministry of God and Christ, and the Holy Spirit's Inspiration, sufficient Teaching, is this Baxter, who is not content to sit among the Parish Teachers, as a Fellow; but even takes upon him to be a Teacher of the Teachers? Yea, so Ignorant and Unbelieving is he concerning the Spirit's Power and Sufficiency in these days, that without an outward Miracle he will not believe any such Thing: Nay he would not have People believe, for themselves, that God teacheth their own Hearts, unless it come in man's Way, and by Humane study, Labour, and natural Means: Therefore the Lord saw good for his own Glory, and for the Vindication of his own Honourable and Everlasting Truth, which the Hirelings had made void by their Traditions; and for the absolute necessity of his own beloved Seed, to restore unto us the Ancient Doctrine of the Holy Spirit's Sufficiency in all the Work of bringing man out of the Fall to God, that the Lord, the Spirit, might be the first and the last; yea all in all in their Salvation, without man's Help; for he is worthy, who as he created all things, by his own alone Power, and according to his Good Will; so he restores all things according to the Counsel of his own Will, and not of Flesh, nor of Blood, nor of the Will of Man, as the Apostle also speaks, Joh. 1.13. but, Oh, How unlike is this Doctrine of the Apostles, to Baxter's; for when the Apostle had said, To them that received Christ, to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God; left any should think, as this Baxter doth, that it was either by man's Labour, or Study, or Humane endeavour, or Art, or Parts; or any natural Abilities or Helps whatsoever; he saith, It was not of Flesh, nor of Blood, nor of the Will of Man, but of God. And of his own Will begat he us, by the Word of Truth, saith that other Apostle, Jam. 1.17, 18. and he bids not err, as this Baxter doth, to set up another Fountain or Root; and that this Word of Truth is not any outward Writing, Voice, or any Creature, John in his first Chapter tells us, That in the beginning was this Word, and the Word was with God; and is God; and his Name is called the Word of God, Revel. 19.13. so this Word, though it works according to the witness of the Scripture, which it gave forth freely, and as itself pleaseth, in the Children of men; yet it is not the Scripture; For search the Scriptures, or ye do search the Scriptures, saith Christ, That witness of me, but you will not come to me that you may have Life; and these were they that Paul said, He bore them record that they had a Zeal for God (and Scripture) but not according to knowledge; for they being Ignorant of God's Righteousness, went about to Establish their own Righteousness, and submitted not to God's: And so even so this Baxter, and many such like, have a blind Zeal, and a great Talk of the Scriptures without, and of the Spirit's Teaching by the Letter, and Humane Helps, and the like; but will not come to Christ, to know him in them, that they may have Life, and Wisdom and Righteousness: But would Establish their own, which is mere Emptiness and Vanity in the sight of God and all truly Spiritual men, 2 Cor. 13.5. Rom. 10.3.  
And how far this Baxter's Language in those other words, where he saith, That if any will pretend to a good Understanding of the Scriptures, without learning the Languages which they are written in, and the Customs of those Times, Countries, or without much reading and long study of the scriptures themselves, and the Writings of them that 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them, had need of some Miracle, or sounding 〈…〉 to persuade themselves, or others, that they are not deceived. How far, I say, is this Doctrine and language in this 〈◊〉 from the Language of the holy men of God that writ Scripture let the Spiritual Man who best understands all things judge; for the holy Apostles Magnified the free Grace, and the free Teachings of the Spirit of Grace, and debased man and all Humane Helps, as is said before, and as the Scripture every where witnesseth: But this Baxter tieth the Wait and main stress of all upon Humane Learning, natural Parts, knowledge of Customs and Countries, much reading, long study, and the like; insomuch, that without them, man must not look that any should believe him: Nay, nor he must not own God's Teaching in his own Heart without these; unlest seconded by some Miracle, or the like.  
But, Oh the Misery therefore of such poor Souls, as follow such wretched Teachers, and their damnable Doctrine, as I may well And Oh forever Blessed are they who are brought from off such Barren Mountains into the good Fold, where all the Lambs of Christ lie down in the good Pasture of the Spirit's fullness; and walk up and down in the Light of the Lord, under the hand of the good Shepherd Christ Jesus, where none can come to make afraid, nor deceive; for in the Light of our God, we see all these false Teachers, and their devouring Doctrines; and by the holy Power of God are delivered from them, and made able in the overcoming Spirit of Truth, to declare against them: Glory to God forever, Amen.  
Again, Let us revew, and consider in particular a little of those words of his before set down; where he saith, as an Argument to persuade his young Ones and Dissenters, to his falsely called Humility.  
Especially saith he, If you know your advantages for knowledge have been less than other men's; that you are younger, or that it is but a few Years since you entered upon the Study of the Scripture; or that you have not any stronger natural Parts then other men; or that you have not had that Measure of learning, which might further your knowledge of the holy Scripture: But that others that differ from you, have had much more of all these Helps and Means than you; and have Prayed more, and Meditated more. etc.  
To which I Answer, That by these words it is easily seen, what manner of knowledge it is that this Baxter trades in, and would have all Slaves unto; and what are his Means for obtaining it; to wit, a mere natural Knowledge, which by mere Worldly Helps, and Advantages may be attained: for a mere Heathen accompanied with many Years; and much Humane Learning, and strong Natural Parts, that can but talk much of the Scripture; especially having on him a Form of Prayer, and the like, must needs go for a better knowing Christian with him, than the dearest Child of God; especially if he be young in Years, and want those natural Helps, and outward appearances. Oh what havoc hath such Doctrine, as this of Baxter's, made amongst his deluded Hearers; and Admirers in this Nation so that now, let the Man of God come to one of them in the purest Evidence, and most powerful demonstration of the Spirit of Truth, if he appear not to them clothed and accompanied with these Natural and Worldly Abilities and Endowments; they are fenced against the Lord's Messenger with such Arguments as these; You are but young; you have but studied a while; you are of slender and mean Natural Parts; and little or no Scholarship; and have Prayed but little, etc. in comparison of our Grave and Learned Divines, and the like: So that as Christ said, so we find now true; That Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of God before such; and now what a Curer of Church-divisions this Baxter is like to prove is easily seen; and therefore that charge which his self-condemned Heart feared would come upon him, may justly be brought upon him here; which in his Preface to his Book, he sets down thus.  
They will affirm saith he, That I have clawed with one party, and have girded at the other, and have sought to make them odious, by bringing them under the Reproach of separation, of censuring and avoiding the Ungodly; and that being lukewarm myself, and a Complier with sin, I would have others to do so too: And that these Reconcilers are neither Flesh, nor Fish; and attempt impossibilities, even to reconcile Light and Darkness, Christ and Belial, and that for the sake of peace, we would sell the Truth, and would let in Church Corruptions, out of an over eager desire of agreement; and when they have all done, neither Parties will regard them. These are this Baxter's words, in that Preface of his to that Book; which is justly come upon him.  
And indeed; He may as well go about to reconcile Light and Darkness, as bring the Children of Light, whom God hath delivered our of the Darkness of, and filthiness of Egypt and Sodom spiritual, into Unity with them again; for there is Enmity put between the two Seeds, and those words of Christ, in John 17.21, 22. etc. which he deceitfully puts in the Title Page of his Book, are only proper to the living Members of the Spiritual Body of Christ, (which he calls mystical) and not to any of the World's Churches, or visible mixed Congregations of People whatsoever; the words of the Apostle in John. 17.21. etc. are weightier than any Hypocrite can bear, and they are these: That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that thou also may be one in us; that the World may believe that thou hast sent me; and the Glory which thou hast given me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the World may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. God is arisen to drive Hypocrites from under all such shelter of words, as they would hide themselves under; for now is the City and Kingdom truly manifested and witnessed, into which no Uncircumcised, or Unclean shall enter; but only the Redeemed born Babes, and living Members of Christ. And now to the knowledge and experience, not of the Evil World, but of all that know God do I appeal to judge, whether this R. Baxter, or any of like spirit with him, can be said to know any thing of the Oneness, betwixt the Father and Son, the Members of his holy Heavenly Body, much less can be any of them, who are not afraid to affirm, That such are not to be disallowed from being Ministers of the Gospel; though they want Grace totally: And that Gifts are more necessary to the validity of Ministration, than Grace is; and that he may perform the Office of a Minister, to the benefit of the Church, that hath no saving Grace at all; (as Pag. 114. of his Book aforementioned, and that there is no man alive that Worshippeth God without some sin; and adds, Do you ever pray yourselves in secret, or in your Families with out sin, as in Pag. 19.5.  
And in Pag. 30. of his Preface to that Book, That there is no Person, Church, on Worship on Earth faultless, and with out Corruption; (and saith there further) I justify not the faults of my own daily Prayers, and yet I never pray without them.  
And in Pag. 34. etc. That Cain was the first born Member, in the Church of Adam's Family: and cursed Cham was of the Church of Noah: and reckons Lot's two Sons in law; and Esau; yea, and the ten Tribes in their Apostasy, to be of the Church.  
And so having reckoned up, and raked together, all the Faults of the Blessed Seed of Abraham, before Christ's coming in the Flesh, and of all those called Christians after that, mentioned in Scripture; he most wickedly, and imprudently says Pag. 44. That no one Member is in all these Scriptures, or any other, commanded to come out, and separate from any one of all these Churches; as if their Communion in Worship were Unlawful, Directly contrary to 2 Cor. 5.11. Revel. 18.4, 5, 6. etc. Come out of Mystery Babylon (the false Church) saith God, to his People.  
Oh the Blasphemy of such men's Hearts, that dare Entitle wicked men, for a bear Profession sake of Religion, to the Glory of the benefit of this Prayer of Christ's, who prays (and his Prayers were always heard) That his might be one, as he and the Father were, and are one; the Father in Christ, and Christ in them, and so made fellow Heirs, and Partakers of the Glory of Christ by free Gift: But neither R. Baxter, nor any graceless Minister, nor sinful praying People, whom he pleads for, can ever be one, as the Father and Son are one: Therefore I may safely say to you all Who desires the good of your Souls, and the Glory of God: Come out from amongst them, and join not with them: No, not in their Worship Actions (as he calls them) nor be ye Partakers in any of their sins, or sinful Worship, less ye partake of their Plagues; for the Temple of God is Holy, and the Worship of God is Holy: And so R. Baxter, with all his own Corruptions, and all his heaps of Lies, and false Accusations of the Brethren of Christ are for the Lake; It is so.  
And so I return to set down Baxter's Unchristian Answer, to that former Objection against the singularity of separation; the Objection is as before: The greater Number are not always in the right; therefore, why should my singularity discourage me?  
Now to this Baxter answers, Pag. 17.18. The greater Number (saith he) through the World are not in the right about Christianity; for they are not Christians, and the greater number of vulgar Christians be not in the right perhaps, in many Points of Learning, and Scholastic Controversies; because they are not learned in such Controversies; but all Godly men, and Christians, are in the right in all Points Essential to Godliness and Christianity: And therefore they are in the certain way of Life.  
And if in any integral, or accedental Point, you think you are wiser than the greater part of men, as Learned, and as Godly as yourselves, you must give very good Proofs of it, to yourselves and others, before it is to be believed: I know that in all Ages God giveth some few men more excellent natural Parts than others; and he engageth some in deeper, and more laborious Studies than others; and he Blesseth some men's Studies more than others; and therefore there are still some few who know more than the rest of the Country, or Mankind; and it were well for the rest, if they knew these, and would learn of them: But these are such, as come to their Knowledge by hard and laborious Studies, and Meditation; though also by the Spirit's Blessing their endeavours: and they are such, as give proof of the Knowledge they pretend to; and they are such as employ their Knowledge to preserve the Peace and Concord of Believers, and do not proudly make a stir with it to set up their own Names, though hereby they set the World on fire.  
To which by way of reply, I answer and say, That there is not the least Child of Light: But doth truly, and easily see the nature of the Spirit, by which this R. B. is still acted, and the end he drives at; for as for the Spirit by which he is acted, it still appears plainly to be the spirit of this World that never knew God, nor the Mysteries of his holy and Heavenly Kingdom, by which Earthly spirit (by much poring on Books without him) he hath attained to a deal of Unsanctified graceless) Knowledge, (as himself speaks Pag. 114.) to deceive the simple People by, who are Ignorant of Satan's Devises; and as for his end, it is also as manifest to be this, to wit, to bring People, who were in some measure pressing out of Babylon back into Egypt and Babylon again, and yet to cover his deceit, lest the Simple should see him without an Interpreter, he brings in the Spirit as to help his Humane Labour, and Carnal Endeavours: But the Spirit of God, which he strikes at in all his writing, will be no Drudge or Slave to any such Vain Selfended Proud Mind in any.  
But of these words, where he saith, That all Godly men and Christians are in the right, in all Points Essential to Godliness and Christianity; and therefore in the certain Way of Life, as he saith.  
Let us consider; for in his sense, they are most notoriously false and wicked: for as for Godly men, who ever imagined otherwise (much less denied in words or so) that they were in the right; but as for that he saith, That all Christians, viz. all that were sprinkled when they were Children, and that so being grown up, make an outward Profession of Christ (for such in Spiritual manner he means by Christians, as is most manifest) are in the right, in all Points Essential to Christianity, and so in the certain Way of Life; It is such a notorious piece of falsehood, and so impudent an assertion, that no one saying can more gratify the Devil, and so help to build up his Kingdom, than it doth: Nay, it certainly gives the Lie to the certain experience and Testimony of all the holy men of God, both formerly and now; for Paul said in his day, That many professed, and nominal Christians do so walk, as that they were Enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose god was their their Belly, and who gloried in their shame, and whose end was destruction, Phil. 3. and were these in the right Points Essential to Christianity, and in the certain Way of Life? what Contradiction and Blasphemy is this? And the same Apostle tells some among the Corinthians, That they had not the knowledge of God, Cor. 15. and what, were these right also in all Essentials? what is not the knowledge of God an Essential Point of Christianity? Nay, without the knowledge of God, no Eternal Life; and yet this Baxter, is not ashamed to affirm, That such as know not God, are in the certain Way of Life. And further, to the experience of all that know God do I appeal, whether this R. B. doth not here in his blindness, justify the very Papist; Yea, and all other sorts of People, who any way in the outward profess Christ; especially if they be outwardly sprinkled with Water, young or old: for, saith he, in his Preface, Pag. 33. Christ hath solemnly and purposely made the baptismal Covenanting with him (to wit, by outward washing) to be the Term and Title to Church-Member-ship and Communion, and the owning of this same Covenant is the sufficient Title of the Adult (or those of ripe years) and the Imposers that come after, and require another kind of Evedence of Conversion, or Sanctification then this, do confound the Church, and enslave the People, and leave no certain way of Trial. Thus far, R. B. by which it appears, whether this Baxter, by endeavouring to keep his credit with the world, is wandered beyond all the Bounds of Reason and Modesty: Nay, Mystery Babylon herself, though she be become a Cage of every unclean and barefull Bird, and a very Habitation of Devils, must not pass unjustified by him; but be reckoned to be right in all the Essentials of Christianity, and in the certain Way of Life: For without all Controversy, this Mystery Babylon is of that Number who in words profess God and Christ, and have a Name to live, though they be dead, (as this Baxter is) or it were not a Mystery, if it were not covered from the World's Eye, with a show of what it is not, Revel. 17, 18, 19 Chapters: Yet so far is this Baxter sunk into the Dark Pit of Antichristian Abomination; that he acounts it an abuse, and false Interpreting of Scripture, to persuade any from that Command [Come out of Babylon] to separate from professed or nominal Christians, though full of Iniquity, Page 32. then which nothing more can gratify his Father, the Wicked One, and his Adulterous Mother, the Synagogue of Rome; for though he would seem in some words, here and there, in his Book, to be no Papist; yet there is never an Argument he brings, for the Fellowship with Dead and Corrupted Members; and against those that separate from such; but they will fully serve, to prove the Company of the Pope to be a Church, and all them to blame who have separated from him in outward Church-Fellowship upon any pretence whatsoever. So foolish is the World's Wisdom when it is set against Truth: But this Baxter having laid his Wicked and False Ground; That all that are called Christians are in the right, in all Points essential to Christianity, and in the certain Way of Life: he may easily conclude that to be unwarrantable separation which goeth from such: But then I say, How will the Protestants warrant their first separation from Popery? or how did this Baxter, with his Presbyterians in Oliver's time, with their Directory, excuse their separating from the Bishops, and their Comon-prayer? and how will be salve his old Nonconforming Brethren's flight into New-England (where since they have shed the Blood of the Martyrs of Christ) from the former Bishops?  
But now his false Ground and Foundation being overturned, it is most manifest that, that separation is most lawful, which is from such, who call good evil, and evil good, put Light for Darkness, and Darkness for Light, as Baxter, and all the Wicked do; from whom the People of God in these Days separate: And so in obeying the Voice of our God, who saith, Come out of Mystery Babylon my People, lest ye partake of her Sins, and so of her Plagues, (we are justified) for the sins of the Wicked, (who in words, profess God and Christ, but in deeds deny all) is reached Heaven at this day: And doth not the Apostle say, If any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an Idolater (and Covetousness by the Apostle's Doctrine is Idolatry) or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with such not to keep company, no not as to eat with them 1. Cor. 5.11.  
And doth he not say in an other Place, Have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness (nor with the unfruitful Workers in Darkness as before) but rather reprove them, Ephes. 5.11. must we not yet separate from them, yea, yea in their very Worship Actions as well as others; and when even the greater number are so far defiled and tainted with the Leprosy of Unrighteousness; that they are so far from amending, that they persecute all that will not be as bad as themselves: Surely when the Lord hath spewed out a People, as he threatened to do lukewarm Laodicea, Revel. 3.16. yea, and cast them off, for their resisting of his good Spirit as he did the Jews; 'tis no time for his People to stay amongst them then, and to continue with them in their Worship-Actions, as he calls them; but every one to deliver his own Soul, by coming out of such Babylonish Worships; whose Prayers are Abomination to God, as all sinful Prayers are; and neither this Baxter, nor any one that he knows upon the Earth prayeth without sin, as himself before hath confessed; and so all of them together do daily and continually that which they should not do, and leave undone what the Lord Commands them, and so have no health in them; and so now that the True Light shines so clear again from under the long Cloud of Antichristian Apostasy; it is the wisdom of all that love God and their own Souls, to join to the Lord in the Covenant of his Light and Spirit, where no Committers of sin can join; for Darkness, and the Workers thereof, can never join with the Light, and the Workers thereof: So now that the Trumpet hath sounded, all aught to come to the holy Worship of God, amongst the holy Worshippers, that Worship in the Spirit of Holiness and Truth; (where no Worker of Iniquity, nor Hypocrite can come) out of all the Defiled Worship of the World whatsoever or under what Name soever in the Fall: But this Baxter is in such love of hypocrisy, that he makes a necessity, of the Hypocrites being amongst the true Members of Christ, as though they knew not how to do without them; as if the good Corn, could not grow so well if the Weeds were wanting; saying, Pag. 56. It is more for the sake of the truly Faithful, then for themselves, that the Hypocrites have their Station, and Privileges in the Church; God makes use of their Gifts and Profession for his Elect, to many great Services of the Church. To which I answer, That this Language bewrays thee further to be of Babylon, and not of Zion, what R. Baxter, with all his seeming Zeal for Reformation in Oliver's days, become now a-Pleader for the Hypocrites, and their great Service in the Church! But this is but like his Doctrine of his graceless Ministers which he pleads for, Pag. 114. of his Book; so R. Baxter, and his Hypocrites, and graceless Brethren, with their Gifts (or rather Thefts void of Grace) have been so far from being serviceable to the Elect True Church, that they have done it (and ever did) all the Injury that ever they can by their wicked Doctrines, Ungodly lives, and heaps of Lies and false Accusations, and cruel Persecutions; in somuch that the growth of the heavenly Seed, the Lilies of God, the true Heirs of the Kingdom, hath been, and is, as a Lily among Thorns: But Christ and Richard Baxter, are directly contrary in their Judgement one to the other; for Christ would not suffer the Devil in the man to preach him, but commanded him to come out, and hold his peace, because Christ never had need of Devils, or wicked men, or Hypocrites to preach him; but saith to such, What hast thou to do, to take my Laws and Covenant in thy Mouth, and hatest to be reform, Psal. 50.16. etc. and so far are graceless Priests and Hypocrites from being serviceable in this matter to his Church, that he saith, My Sheep hear my Voice, and they follow me; but the graceless Minister and Hypocrite, who is a Stranger to me, they will not hear, for such come but to rob, and destroy, read John 10. and see if ever R. Baxrter understood Scripture, who talks so contrary to it: As did those Pharisees of old, whom Christ cried out so many times Woe against, Mat. 23. Who would neither enter into the Kingdom of Heaven themselves, nor suffer others. And those in Ezekiel who, sowed Pillows under men's Elbows, making glad the Hearts of the Wicked Hirelings, by persuading People that they must not disown them from being Ministers, though they be totally void of all saving Grace; and that Hypocrites have a Station in the Church, for great services with their (graceless) Gifts to the Elect; and by pleading for Games, and Fashions of Apparel; yea and the Opinions in Religion of bad People, yea to such a measure, that he is not ashamed to say, That many an Error is taken up, by going too far from other men's faults, as is to be seen in Pag. 224. of his Book, with many such like heathenish sayings, up and down his Book; a few whereof I only touch here and there as they come to mind, that by those the Reader may see the nature of that wretched spirit, that hath long lurked in him, under a cloak of zeal for Reformation, when the World pretended to such things, but now that the World is for a manifest establishing of their old dark Stuff, he turns about and is all for them as it were, and against Zeal, against Reformation, Separation, Revelation, or any thing that may manifest People to have a care of their Souls: But Oh the misery, the misery, the unspeakable misery of such as are not yet redeemed from under the slavery and Egyptian Bondage of such men: But the Lord will break the Rod of the Oppressor, as in times of old, as in the days of Midian and Egypt, where both Jannes and Jambres who withstood the Lord's Servant Moses, in his calling Israel out of Egypt were made manifest, and their Folly by all clearly seen, as this Baxter's is by every open Eye: Praised be the Lord for his Infinite Love in all things.  
But the Hearts of the Righteous whom God delights to comfort, he doth all he can to make sad by persuading the dark cruel World, that the cause of all the miseries of the late years, yea, and at present in these Islands, is much (what if not mostly) occasioned by those, who in tenderness of Conscience to God, could not, nor cannot join with, nor uphold the Popish Customs, and Antichristian imposition in Matters relating to Religion, and the Soul, which is more precious to them that know it, than all the World: And in the Truth we may say, that if we should come amongst the Steeplehouse Worshippers, or any other Company, who are only separated from them in form, and not in Life and Power, and their exercise, or Gift, and heavenly holy Worship and Service to the Lord Jesus Christ our God, we should even sacrifice the Abomination of the Egyptians before their Eyes; and would you not Stone us, or Imprison us, or otherwise evil entreat us, even as you do, and ever have done? yea yea, and as they dealt with the Prophet Isaiah for saying (Chap. 66.3.) He that killeth an Ox, is as if he flew a man, he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's Neck, etc. and Chap. 1.11. etc. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord, I am full of them; and who hath required it at your hands, to tread my Courts? bring no more vain Oblations, etc. for which it is said they slew him; so they would deal with us. And what measure have the dear Servants of God in New-England met withal, not long since, for the like witness against those Hypocrites, but Death and cruel Whip, and Banishment; and in old England lately, but most savage and cruel usage? And would this Baxter yet have us, yea, and those he counts his Brethren, and of his Flock, who have any tenderness in them to communicate with such whose Hands are full of Blood? if he were as the mouth of God, he would put a difference between the Clean and Unclean: But he being of an other spirit, is for leading People back again into Egypt, not for bringing them out of Egypt into the Promised Land; and so his Work and endeavour is accursed of God, and abhorred of all that know God, who are escaped out of Sodom and Egypt, and Babylon spiritual, where our Lord was crucified: And to us the Lord hath said, Let them return to you (ye saved People) but return not you to them; for their Pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their Flocks shall be scattered. Jer. 10.21. He that hath Ears let him hear, and he that readeth let him understand, for the time is at hand; for the Lord is arisen to plead with all the false Worshippers upon Earth, and with him is no respect of persons. And now is the Lord God of ever blessed Power and love appeared in the Earth, after the long Night of Apostasy, to restore all things, and now are the Virgins called upon through the whole World, to trim their Lamps; for behold the Bridegroom is come and coming, and now the foolish Virgins, who have been long sleeping, and slumbering in a dead Profession of Christ and the Scriptures, are found wanting in their Faith, Holiness, Love, and all other Christian Virtues, and so in their Unholiness shut out; yea, and though they run to the Hirelings, that set all things to sale, to buy, yet still before they come, the Door is shut; for whilst the Lord stood waiting upon them, with his pure free and full Grace and Spirit, they would have none of it; but rather choosed to go their own Ways of Carnal endeavours, and man commanded Religion, and so like the Jews of old, going about to Establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted to the Righteousness of God, which is by Faith in Christ Jesus: But the wise Virgins, who are of an honest Heart, to fear God, and wait for the Lord Jesus Christ, to appear in their spirits, to set up his heavenly and everlasting Kingdom in them, they receive daily of his fullness, which filleth all in all, where the true Oil of the Kingdom is found in their holy Lamps, to the praise of the Glory of the unspeakable Love, and free Grace of the Almighty Father, so be it.  
Again, to that part of this Baxter's former Answer, where he saith, That in all Ages, God giveth to some few men, more excellent natural Parts than others; and he engageth some in deeper and more laborious Studies, and he blesseth some men's Studies more than other; and therefore there are still some few, who know more than the rest of the Country, or Mankind; and it were well for the rest, if they knew these, and would learn of them.  
Quer. But how may one know these hard, and laborious Studiers, as he calls them?  
Oh, saith this Baxter, They are such as give proof of their knowledge they pretend to; and they are such to employ their knowledge to the preserving of the Peace and Concord of Believers; and do not proudly make a stir with it, to set up their own Names; though thereby they set the World on fire.  
To which I answer and say, it is still more and more manifest, that this Baxter lays all the weight and stress upon natural Parts, and hard Studies; as though the Kingdom of God, were not at all come, nor the Promise of God concerning the free Gifts, and plentiful pouring forth of the Spirit, not yet fulfilled; and so a necessity of learning at the feet of Gamaliel, and earthly Doctors still: But now that the Spirit of Truth according to God's blessed Promise is come, and witnessed amongst us that believe, praised be God, we cannot go to such as this Baxter, with all their natural Parts, and hard Studies; for the Spirit of Truth leads us, and all that obey it into all Truth; but this Baxter, and such as he leads, are in all Error, as is manifest; for they are of those, that lead about a Company of poor Souls, silly as Women leaden with divers Sins and Lusts, ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth, which sets free from sin; for that (and nothing else) is the Truth, which sets free from sin; for saith Christ, If ye know the Truth, the Truth shall set you free indeed. But this Baxter, and all such, teach it for Doctrine, That they are so far from being free from sin, that their very prayers and best performances are not free from sin, but sin is in them all: Oh sad, that ever they should dare to pretend to the Ministry of the Gospel, who preach such a Doctrine as make nothing perfect, but leaves them in sin all their lives long: And no wonder that they and their Doctrine should be void of all good Fruit; for saith God, They have run, and I have not sent them; therefore they shall not profit the People at all. And yet they would gladly have People know them, and learn of them, though they can do them no good at all; and this is that sorry and bad Proof, that the Hirelings make of their great knowledge they pretend unto, which they have gotten with their natural Parts, and hard Studies; and so thy own words shall witness against thee, Oh Baxter, and thy Brethren, who have given no good proof of your knowledge to this day; nor have thereby preserved Peace and Concord amongst Believers, but done what you can to break it; for that Doctrine that makes not men free from sin, leaves all the seeds of Discord and Dissension, still in People's Minds; for as sin separated man from God at first; so doth it to this day keep them asunder, and so keeps them from Love, for God is Love; and none live or dwell in Love, but such as live and dwell in God: But such as live in sin, and never pray without it, are out of God, as the Apostle said of People in unbelief, They were without God in the World. It is not any outward Conformity, that will, or can make them to be at peace with, or love one another; for if it were possible to bring Papist, Atheist, and Carnal Protestants and Professors of all sorts, into one Form of outward Worship, as for Time, Place, Words, or the like: Yet there would be neither Love, Peace, nor Concord amongst them, for want of Unity with God and his good Spirit, the only true Ground and Foundation of all true Love, Peace, and Concord: And so, Oh R. Baxter, we have known thee this many years to be a great Enemy of God, and therefore we may not learn of thee, nor any such, but of Christ do we learn, ever praised be his Name, who teaches his People to profit; and so it's only the poor deluded Multitude that know● thee not, who learn of thee, and suck in such poisoned Doctrine, as makes them most uncapable of the pure Word of Life and Doctrine of Salvation; so that Publicans and Harlots, who make little or no Profession, enter into the Kingdom of God before you.  
And as for making a stir with thy knowledge, and striving to set up thy own Name thereby, though thou set the whole World on fire by it; who more notorious than thyself in this R. Baxter, as witness all thy lying frothy words, Books, and Pamphlets which thou hast spoken and written, against the appearance of Christ and his Truth, in these late years; but thy Studies and thy Works God hath cursed; for no Child of Light, will ever buy any of thy Merchandise, nor the deceitful Wares of any other Merchants of Babylon for evermore; Blessed be God for his unspeakable Gift, Amen.  
But the end of these words of setting the World on fire set down here by this Baxter, is easily seen to be this, to wit, to persuade People that those, who are zealous for God in these days in publishing his everlasting Gospel upon the Earth, in a cross to the World, are such as set up themselves, and would set the World on fire: And so he is manifest to be one of the old evil Generation of Priests, who accused Christ for a mover of Sedition, and Paul for a pestilent Fellow: Oh, it was that good stirring Spirit of the Lord Jesus in himself, and his Followers, which did so trouble the World, the combustible World in all Ages that made, and doth make the Hrieling Priests, and their deluded Followers so rage, and cry out; but as for setting the World on fire, in a goodsence Christ Jesus saith, That he came to set Fire in the Earth: But for setting the World on fire in Baxter's sense, that is sowing discord and dissension amongst People; this is the work, and ever was the work of the Hireling Priests, who loved to be called of men Masters, as this R Baxter is (as is said before) witness not only our own Age; but the holy Scripture, and the Histories of all Times and Ages, as those that read may understand: And yet these proud Masterly and false Teachers, were ever the first, and for wardst that cried against Christ and his Followers, for disturbing the World's Peace; when as this Doctrine of Christ's Spirit, though it did always disturb the Devil's; yet it did always tend to the working of the hearts and Souls of the People into God's Peace, and did ever, and doth at this day work this glorious and blessed Effect in all that believe: Whereof we are Witnesses, praised be God, though for the Testimony of Christ, we are troubled on every side, by the wicked World: So that even now, when the Wicked have no peace (for there is no peace to the Wicked) we whom the World mock, stone and persecute under the Nickname of Quakers, or so, have peace in all our Dwellings: And within Egypt is full of Darkness, that one may feel it, yet in our Goshen is plenty of Light, ever praised be God: And when the World of false Christians are learning War, and preparing Weapons, we are ceasing from War, and not to learn it any more, as the Lord hath said. And therefore, Oh ye Inhabitants of the Earth, if ye knew us, ye would not hate us, and persecute us, but love us with your Hearts, because of the good will of our Hearts towards you; for our Weapons are not Carnal, but Spiritual: Not for pulling down, or Destroying of you, but your Enemies, your sins, which wars against your Souls: And the Reason why we cannot join with you, in your Liturgyes, and Worship-actions, is not because we hate you; but because we Love God, and your Souls; for if we should join with you in your defiled Worship, as yourselves confess they are, we should strengthen you in an evil Way: But by our separating from you, because of the unholiness of your Sacrifices, occasion may be ministered to you to question your State, and so some of you in time may come out of your Darkness, into the marvellous Light of the Lord Jesus with us, and praise the Lord in the Land of the Living, so be it.  
Another of this Baxter's Follies, and false Doctrines, I may here mention, as one may read it in that Book of his, that I have under hand, to wit, in Pag. 114. are these words; It may be unlawful saith he, in a Ruler to command a thing that will do no good, because it is a vain Command, and maketh men spend that time in vain, and yet be the Subject's duty to do it.  
Answ. This is just such Doctrine as Paul's Enemies taught, who said, Men might do evil, that good might come of it, whose Condemnation was just. So to avoid Sufferings from men, he would have us to obey Unlawful Commands, which will do no good, but rather a great Evil; to wit, make People spend precious Time in vain: Away with such Antichristian stuff amongst the Heathen, for all true Christians abhor it in their Hearts, as the Lord the good Shepherd hath commanded them. And now R. Baxter to that part of thy feigned Prayer, Pag. 252. where in words thou seemest to desire, That God would stir up some faithful Friend to tell thee with convincing Evidence, where it is that thou hast miscarried, that contrition may prepare thee for the Peace of Remission.  
Here the Lord hath contrary to thy will and desire stirred up one in faithfulness and love to thy Soul, and the Souls of the poor deluded People whom thou hast deceived, to tell thee plainly of thy faults, and grievous miscarriages, as by what is convincingly in these Lines set down doth appear, and might be more abundantly, if all the miscarrages in this Book (only to let pass all thy other) were answered unto in particular; but these in this Answer of mine, being as it were least of what the rest are, may satisfy at present. And Oh that the Righteous Judgements of God may come upon thy Heart, and the Hearts of all them who are in the same false fleshly confidence with thyself; whose very Prayers are not without sin, that you may never have peace day nor night, until you humble yourselves before the Lord, and repent of all your hard Speeches, and evil Deeds that you have spoken and done against him and his Servants for his Truth's sake; that if it be possible you may be saved from the wrath that will certainly come upon you, if you Repent not; for that old wicked Paper full of Lies, as I made manifest before thee, and some of thy Company in thy Study (to thy shame) at Kidderminster, which thou writ'st in the pride of thy Heart against us in Oliver's days when thou wast lifted up, Entitled Reasons to persuade, why no reasonable Man can be a Quaker, amongst the rest of that kind, which thou art not humbled for to this day, as I perceive by this Book, do all stand upon Record before the Lord, the Righteous Judge against thee; for in those thy doings, and all of that kind against the manifest and manifold Appearances of Christ in his People of every degree, thou hast plainly declared thyself to be of Rabshekaie's spirit, who raised against the Living God and his despised Israel; and of that spirit that Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses in his work, under God, of calling Israel out of Egypt; and as the Lord pleaded the Cause of his People in those days, so will he (as he hath) for ever plead our Innocent Cause against thee, and all his Enemies; for of a truth the Lord God blessed for ever, hath raised us up to be his Servants, Sons and Daughters, to bear his Name in Righteousness before the Children of men, in a pure holy Witness against all the false Ways, and Worships, of false man (so be it) and so it will be as hard for thee, and all, to kick against the Pricks, as it was in persecuting Saul, Acts 9 read and consider, lest the day pass over you, as it did from the unbelieving Jews, who would not receive God come and manifest in flesh in those days, to whom Christ said, Ye will not come to me, that ye might have Life; but they would seek it in the kill Letter, and as it were by the works of the Law, until midnight darkness, and utter Desolation came upon them. For, Oh how the Earth is filled with Violence, because of such Doctrines and Teachings as this Baxter and such men brings forth; for behold how the Field of his Followers and Admirers are all overgrown with Briers and Thorns, and noisome Weeds, as the proper Fruit of their accursed Doctrines, as this Baxter himself sets down, in his 48th Direction, Pag. 236. of his Book, in these words, that is to say: Oh Friends, how bad are we ourselves? What pride is in our Hearts? What Ignorance in our Minds! So wanting are we even in the lowest Grace Humility, that we have scarce enough to make us take patiently, as now we are giving out upon others; So selfish, as dishonoureth our Profession, with the brand of contradictedness, and partiality; So weak, that our Duties are liable to greater censures than we can bear; And our inward Grace's weaker than our outward Duties [This must needs be so in the Duties of the graceless Minister thou pleads for] of such ungoverned thoughts, that Confusion and Tumult instead of Order and fruitful Improvement, are the daily temper and employment of our Imaginations [This must needs be so in you that live in such opposition to the Life of God manifest in his Children at this day] So passionate, impatient and corrupt, that we are a trouble to ourselves and others, [This must needs proceed from such a corrupt Fountain] and a dishonour to the Gospel [it is so] and a hindrance to the conversion of those whom our holy exemplary lives should win to God: So strange to Heaven, as if we had never well believed it [that is so, and therefore the Sheep of Christ deny your voice, you who are such Strangers to him] And to say all in one, so empty of love to our dear Redeemer, and to the God of love, that our Hearts lie vacant to entertain the love of worldly Vanities [ye Hypocrites, what have you to do to name Christ, who are thus unbelieving and unredeemed] and to fly back from the serious thoughts of God, which should be our daily work and pleasure, and fly from the face of Death, as if we should be the worst, when nearest to our God. Oh Hypocrites, how can you for shame call God yours, when you are thus beyond measure bad, when Scripture saith, He that saith he knows God, and keeps not his Commandments is a Liar, and the Truth is not in him, see 1 Joh. 2.4. and repent lest ye all perish together, Priests and People; for the Lord is arisen to Judgement, and none can stand before him, which hath unclean and filthy Garments, as you are covered with, whom Baxter here puts on to be Teachers of others, and yet remain yourselves with him under such woeful sins and condemnation, as is here spoken of: But surely if you did believe, and feel inwardly that it were so bad with you, as here in words is signified, you could not go away so lightly with your burdens, as you seem to do, but it would stop your mouths, and cause all your Pride and Glory to cease.  
For consider but the first thing, that this Baxter would have you his principal and best taught Hearers to confess, to wit. That Pride is in your very Hearts; which if you were sensible of, you would cease calling God your Father, and Christ your Redeemer in this wretched State; for to you in this State, it may be truly said, as Christ said to those unbelieving Jews, Ye are of your Father the Devil; for Pride of Heart, is the chief part of his wicked Image: and indeed, the main thing in this day, which hinders you from coming to Christ (the meek, pure, and lowly Lamb of God) is the Pride of your corrupt Hearts, as Jeremiah said to the Jews, If you will not give Glory to God, before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountains, my Soul shall mourn in secret for your Pride: It was the Pride of their Hearts, that was the ground of all their Evils, as it is of yours; for from the Pride of your Hearts, comes your Ignorance of Mind, and partiality, and want of all good, to the dishonouring of your Profession, and what not? So that it may easily be known, who sent this Baxter, who hath profited you nothing at all: For they have run, and I have not sent them, saith God, Therefore they cannot profit the People at all, Jer. 23. And that this R. B. might make it fully appear under whose Banner he fights, and for whose Kingdom he pleads, lest the rest of his Book should leave it doubtful: He is now come forth in his proper shape, as the absolute Enemy of God, and all good men, that in any measure are looking Heaven-ward, being burdened with the fellowship of the Wicked, and instead of helping the Lord's little Ones, against the great Power of the Dragon in the Persecutors, he hath hammered forth all the wicked Weapons that he can for the Wicked Persecutors, and against the tender hearted ones of God, who are travelling to the holy Land, with Egypt left behind; as in that 55. Direction so called, and Pag. 254. of his said Book appears, where he hath these words.  
Little do many real Separates, who cry out against the spirit of persecution, suspect that the same spirit is in them; Whence is Persecution, but from thinking ill of others, and abhorring them, or not loving them? And do you not so by those (saith he) whom you causelessly separate from?  
Answ. Here by way of Answer, before I set down any more of this naughtiness of his, I cannot but take notice of this word) causelessly) which here this Baxter puts in, to cover his deceit; for though at the first look one might judge, he intended only causeless, or unwarrantable, or wicked separation; yet Reader thou must know, he intends as well the truly tender hearted People of England, who in conscience to God, and according to his holy Commandment are come out, and separated from the fellowship of the Wicked in these days, and so cannot take part in the Offerings of the dead as well as others; and at these in a special manner he strikes, after his accustomed manner, through the sides of others; for his main Envy is against the living Members of Christ: And so though those that separate without cause, may have the like mind to those they separate from, being different only in Form, but not in Heart from them; yet such as are separated by the Power of God (as Paul was, whom God separated from his Mother's Womb, calling him by his Grace) have not; for these stand out of their own thoughts and are in the Will and Work, and Worship of God, whose Worship is in Spirit and Truth: But to proceed, Baxter saith further.  
You will say, that though you think them not to be true Christians yet, you love them as men, and wish their good, and so will those say by you (saith he) whom you call your Persecutors; though they think you to be proud and humorous; and disobedient, yet they say, they love you as men; and do but correct you, to cure your self-willedness and humour, and to do you good, and to preserve the public Peace: They think you to be bad, and therefore Imprison you: You think them to be bad, and therefore avoid Communion with them.  
To this I cannot but by the way speak a word; Who is there that sees not the very spirit of the Egyptian Sorcerers acting in this very thing, to the hardening of Pharoah's Heart, lest he should let Israel go? But this Baxter goes on in his wickedness, and saith, They (to wit the Persecutors) think you so bad, as to be unworthy of civil Liberty and Privileges: You think them so bad as to be unworthy of Church Privileges and Liberties: They think you unworthy to be suffered in the Land perhaps; and you think them unworthy to be suffered in the Churches; they cry against you, Away with them, they are Schismatical, or Heretical; you cry against them, Away with them, they are Profane.  
Answ. Now in answer to this I say, That we who are of the World, scornfully called Quakers, have everlasting cause to praise the Lord, who hath redeemed our Souls from among such devouring Wolves, as this R. B. and from such a venomous spirit as he is acted by; What Heathen upon Earth could strengthen the hands of the Persecutors against the Righteous more than this Baxter, by such Arguments as this doth? what if this Baxter had lived in the days of the Apostles, and first Christians, when God separated them from the Congregation of the unbelieving Jews; surely he could not but have been but accounted famous, and worthy of great Honour amongst those persecuting Jews, for such Arguments as these▪ for never an Argument he brings, for the Persecutors now; but it would as much have fitted the Persecutors then against the Christians; yea, and it would formerly, yea, and doth at this day fit the Papists against the Protestants, as well as the persecuting profane superstitious Protestant against them, whom God hath drawn by his mighty Power this day from amongst them. For seeing he sets but thought, against thought, the Persecutors thoughts of the Righteous, against the persecuted man's thoughts of him; and seeing all thoughts are questionable, he leaves this ground for the persecuting Jew, to reason to excuse himself against the first Christians, according to his hellish Invention on this wise, viz.  
‛ You Christians who separate from us, are of as bad a spirit as us Jews, whom you call your Persecutors; for what is Persecution, but a thinking ill of others, and abhorring them, or not loving them? And do you not so by us, whom you causelessly separate from? And though you say, though you think us not as Servants of God, or so, yet you love us as men, and wish our Good, so do we you, and that which we do against you, which you call Persecution, is but a correcting of you, to cure your self-willedness and humour, and to do you good, and to preserve the public Peace: And though you think much, you Christians, that we Imprison you, deny you civil Liberties and Privileges, and count you unworthy to be suffered in the Land; yet all this by Baxter's Doctrine, is far less than you do to us Jews; for you think us so bad, that you avoid Communion with us, and deny us Church Liberty and Privileges; yea and think us unworthy to be suffered in the Churches. Come Baxter; Would this have been good and true reasoning by the Jews against the Christians, or by the Papists against the Protestants? then if it would not (as no sober man can say it would) then forever stop thy mouth, and let shame cover thy face for ever speaking any more of things pertaining to Christian, or Christ's Religion; for an Enemy to Christ and his People thou art here manifest to be: And lest thou shouldst want any thing to make thee complete in wickedness, thou goest on, and in answer to an Objection, which is to this purpose: That the Persecutors separated from, are bad, and profane, and he that separates, saith he, charges them truly; but he is not Schismatical, or Heretical, but they accuse him falsely. To this I say, this Baxter with a Whore's forehead, on the behalf of the Persecutors, answers and saith: You (to wit, you that separate) say so, and they (to wit, the Persecutors) say the same of you: They say you are Schismatical; but they are not Profane: Now how shall a Slander by know, [saith Baxter] which of you are in the Right, doubtess by the Witnesses and Evidences, [saith he] they try you in some Court, or before some Magistrate, before they punish you, [saith he] You never try them, nor hear then speak for themselves; nor examine any Witness publicly against them; nor allow them any Church Justice; but avoid their Communion upon Reports, or pretence of private knowledge: They judge you Personally, one by one: You condemn whole Parishes in the lump unheard: They condemn you, as for a positive Crime; but you condemn them, without charging any one Crime upon them, etc. To which I answer for the Lord and his Truth, in this day of Israel's trouble and trials, and say.  
The Lord rebuke thee, thou lying spirit, in this R. Baxter; was there ever heard such notorious Falsehoods and Abominations come from one professing the Gospel, yea, professing himself to be a Minister of the Gospel, yea, and taking upon him to be a Teacher of the Teachers, as is here from this R. B. Oh, the Envy, Oh, the Malice, the deep rooted Iniquity of this man, against them that depart from Iniquity in these Islands, and cannot join with the People of this wicked World, in their bloody Offerings: Oh, the Patience and long suffering of God towards such, though they continue long in their Wickedness; but the Lord will certainly plead with thee, O Baxter, and all his Adversaries, for your great envy to his People, and Work in these days: But come let us see again, if these Lies of Baxter's, would not have suited as well for the Persecuting Jews against the first Christians, or the persecuting Papists, against the Protestants, as it doth for the Persecutors in these days against those, that in obedience to God are separated from them?  
For what it Tertullus, or any Jewish lying Orator had stood up in behalf of the Jews against the Christians, and said, The Jews try you in some Court, or before some Magistrate, before they punish you; but you Christians never try them, nor hear them speak for themselves, nor examine any Witnesses publicly against them, nor allow them any Church Justice, but avoid their Communion upon report, or pretence of private knowledge, and so condemn them by the lump; yea, a whole Nation together? etc. And so if the Papist against the Protestants had used the like reasoning, would it have been any thing but gross untruth and falsehood in either of their Mouths? Or were either the first Christians, or first Protestants, any more to be blamed for their separation, because of such Liars? Nay, nay, neither are the People of God in these days any worss to be thought of for separating from the Wicked, notwithstanding all these gross lies of Baxter, or any of his spirit: I say they are most gross Lies, if they be said of us the People of God, whom the World in scorn calls Quakers, that we have not Tried them, etc. For we have Tried them, and heard them often what they can say for themselves, and we have by the Spirit of the Lord found them wanting of the Life and Power of Godliness, like the Heathen, who profess not Christ, and public Witnesses there are of it, not only their own works which are daily manifest in the face of the Sun, but also their own words and confessions when they meet to worship; for they say, they have left undone what God commands, and done what he forbids, and so have no spiritual Health in them; which signifies plainly, they have denied Christ come in the Flesh; for whosoever receives him, receives God's saving Health, and are saved People, Spiritually healthful; they have condemned themselves by their unbelief and evil Deeds from the Commonwealth and Inheritance of Israel: And so not only the Spirit of the Lord in us, but even the Witness of God in their own Consciences charges not only one, but even many great and grievous Crimes upon them. And so Baxter with all his Lies, and evil Inventions, is for the Lake; and if ever he be saved, it must be through fiery terrible Judgement, which will consume the Adversary: For, Oh! how hath Satan blinded his Eye; that he should thus rise up against the People and Work of God in these days to his hurt? And when it is objected that of all men living, no man think that a Persecutor is godly, and fit for Church Communion, he doth not like a Christian Confess to the truth there 〈◊〉 but after his accustomed manner, Heathen-like, he invents his sorry shifts to avoid the force of the Truth, by saying, Did all the Ministers and common People persecute you? and then ask a Question concerning the doings of the Soldiers under Oliver, and the like, which are mere shifts; For what is the doings of any Men, to make void the Truth by it? for whatsoever any in their Ignorance of the Truth, have done against the Truth, serves nothing to the making void of this, to wit, That a Persecutor of the Godly, is not godly, nor fit for Church Communion; but instead of giving Glory to God, by confessing to truth, this Baxter, after he hath wearied himself with his words, of what was done in Oliver's time, or so; he sums up his devilish Doctrine of pleading for the Persecutors, and against those whom God hath separated from them, (saying to the same wicked purpose as before) It is but one and the same sin in Persecutors and the Separates, which causeth the one to smite their Brethren, and the other to Excommunicate them; the one to cast them into Prison as Schismatics, and the other to cast them out of the Church as profane, etc. And so for this thy suming up and concluding, God hath concluded thee with the wicked Persecutors, for the Judgement of his great Day O Baxter: But hold Baxter, thou that art thus hot, and without all fear in pleading for the Devil's Kingdom: I say when the Lord bids us, and we obey him in separating from the Wicked; is this all one with the Sin of Persecution: Oh thou unjust man, the Lord will be terrible to thee in the day of his Wrath, which is nigh at hand to come upon thee, for all thy Villainy against him, and for all thy daubing deceitful words, in the beginning and end of this Direction; the Lord sees thee to be a Fighter against him, and thy Reward will be according to thy Works, as he hath said, and all the Rocks and Mountains of the wicked World, for whom thou pleadest, shall not hide thee from his struck: As testifies the good Spirit of the Lord Jesus, in his Servant.  

Some more of the bad, and strange sayings of this Baxter in his Book.  
Pag. 219. GOdly men are much liker to be in the right, then Ungodly men.  
Answ. This shows what a Stranger he is to the certainty of Godliness.  
Pag. 220. Sometimes the worse sort of men, may hold fast the Truth.  
Answ. This is a gross Lie; for the bad cannot hold fast the good, unless in Prison, or so.  
If any better Persons deny Infant Baptism, the worse Sort of People would be all against them, and yet be in the right.  
Answ. Thus sprinkling of Infants, for which there is no Scripture, must needs be wrong whosoever hold it; and the corruption of it appears so much the more, because the worse Sort are so much for it.  
Many do take a Form of Prayer, or Liturgy, to be unlawful, merely because the most of the worse Sort are for it.  
Answ. What deceit is this? If thy Hearers so badly taught by thee do such things; yet those that are taught of God, deny things, because they know them to be evil in themselves; but what Form, or Liturgy is that, which the most of the worse Sort of the People are for, even that which speaks peace to the Wicked, by telling them they were Regenerated by sprinkling a little Water on their Faces, or the like, when Infants? And that they shall be saved, though they continue in sin all their lives long: but the Hour cometh, and now is, that neither in the invented Forms of the Hypocrite's long Prayers, nor in the short invented Forms and Liturgies of the Profane, but in Spirit and Truth, as the Lord Jesus enables them, will God be worshipped, and served by his People; for the Day is dawned, and Shadows 〈◊〉; and as the Day doth more and more arise in its Glory, with all the things of vain Men pass away, so be it.  
Pag. 221. The some of his 44. Direction by his own setting down runs thus.  
Ye take the Examples of religious Men, to be one of your most perilous Temptations; and therefore labour to discover, especially what are the sins of Professors, in the Age that you live in, that you may especially watch and fortify your Souls against them: [And adds] That sometimes the strictest Sort run in a Gang after one Opinion, and sometimes after another.  
Answ. Here I appeal to that of God in all that fear his Name, and are alive to Truth, whether this do not wholly tend to the hardening of Pharaoh's Heart, against the People of God in these days, who are in the Truth itself, and not in Opinions, as the Hypocrites are? for though such as are begotten into Forms of (Religion without the Truth) by the Hirelings, do never cease from erring, yet the truly Religious, who are begotten to God by Christ, walk in the Way undefiled, which the Fools, who are upright in Heart cannot err in.  
But this his telling of running in a gang, is a filthy and reproachful Speech, wholly of Ashdod, and the Lord will judge thee, O Enemy, for thy work R. B. and therefore let all that fear God, take heed of this Baxter's Soul-defiling, and Heart-hardning Doctrine; for out of the dark, and wicked Kingdom, wherein he and all such live, is the Lord calling his People.  And to conclude, If any would see this Harlot in its fine dress, and the crooked Serpent in its glittering colour on the Head which must be bruised, and yet with his Sting in his Tail, which is full of Venom, let them consider that 44. Direction, which runs thus. 
Desire the highest Degree of Holiness, and to be free from the corruptions of the Times, but affect not to be odd, and singular from ordinary Christians in lawful things; for instance, If it were to go in a meaner Garb than others, and as the Quakers, not to put off the Hat; or with the Friars, to go bare Foot, or in a distinguishing Habit, that all men may see, and say; This is a singular Person in Religion: it is easy to see how this gratifieth Pride.  
Answ. But now that the Lord is arisen according to his Promise, Isa. 27.1. which saith, In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong Sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing Serpent, even Leviathan that crooked Serpent, and he shall slay the Dragon that is in the Sea. Therefore I say it is that the Dragon is so wrathful to pour forth his Floods of Persecution after the heavenly Woman, and her Manchild: and therefore it is that the crooked Serpent in such men (as this Baxter is) is so at work, every way seeking with their cunning and crafty deceitful Doctrines to pierce the Heart, the Life of Truth, by their Darts; and so with their fair colourable words, as the Apostle speaks, To deceive the hearts of the Simple and Ignorant People, but the Lord taketh, the Wily in their own craftiness, and the Pit they dig for others, themselves fall into, and the Lord's Spiritual Sword of Truth pierces through all their lives; and dead in the great Sea and Puddle of their own Iniquities before the Lord, and his Saints, this day they lie: Glory to his Name the mighty God over all who is worthy.  
For what more glistering and fair seeming words can the Serpent give, then to say: Desire the highest Degree of Holiness, and to be free from the corruptions of the Time: But that this Baxter intends no such thing, no nor believes that any shall ever attain to any such thing, whilst on the Earth, is most manifest by the whole current of his Doctrine; for not only in his former Books, where he hath publicly declared, That sinless Perfecttion, is the Doctrine of the Devil, hatched in Hell, etc. But even in this very Book, it fully appears what an Enemy he is, not only to the highest Degree, but even to Holiness itself, where amongst his other Unholy Doctrines he saith, as is before mentioned, from pag. 195. That there is no man alive, that worshippeth God without some sin, (and adds) Do you ever pray yourselves in secret, or in your Families without sin: And a better State than this he doth not believe, that any shall here come unto; and for being free from the corruption of the Times; What hast thou to do O Baxter to talk of this, who art one with the corruptedst of Times, pleading for conformity, even with the Persecutors of Godliness itself? Yea, seeking by all means to make such, as good and excusable before the Lord in their Persecutions of the Godly, as the Godly themselves are ● who in obedience to God, do separate from them: What is praying to God with sin in your Hearts, the highest Degree of your Godliness? Oh Hypocrites, yea it is; And is your Conforming to the Worship-Actions of the Persecutors, who take God's Name in vain, when ever they mention it in that State, no corruption? And not only so, but your Oneness with the Times in many of their corrupt Customs of daily conversation, as every Eye sees, no corruptions? But above all, corruption is gone forth over all the Land, even from the Teachers, such as this Baxter is, who in words can tell others of forsaking it; For what greater corruption, then for the Priests to love to be called of men Masters, and to preach for Hire, and divine for Money, and to cry peace, peace to the Wicked; especially such as put into their Mouths: but if any put not into their Mouths, than they prepare War against them, as both in Oliver's time and since they have done all England over, to the impoverishing and spoiling them that fear God of their Goods, and imprisoning several to death upon the same account, What would Christ (Mat. 23.) and the Prophets, Jeremiah, and Isaiah, and Micah, and the rest, have cried so vehemently against such things, if they had not been grievous corruptions of the Times? see Jer. 5.30, 31. Isa. 56. Micah 3.5. etc. And so when the Priests are proud, and covetous, and cruel; What can their Followers be, but like them? It is not the Priests telling People, they must desire after Holiness, and forsake the corruptions of the Times, that will do any good, so long as the Teachers themselves live in Unholiness and Corruptions, and smite with the Fist of wickedness; for doth not that in the Conscience say to such? Thou that teachest another; why dost not thou teach thyself: But they have run, and God hath not sent them, therefore (they are such Briars, and Thistles, and) cannot profit the People at all, Jer. 23. And they say to every one that walks after the Imaginations of their evil Hearts, ye shall have peace: But for these things, the Lord hath, and yet will severely judge them, Head and Tail, Root and Branch, in his great Day.  
And now to that which he saith to his Disciples: Be not odd and singular from ordinary Christians in lawful things; if it be to go in a meaner Garb than others, or not to put off the Hat, or to go bare Foot, or in a distinguishing Habit, or so; this gratifieth Pride.  
Answ. To this I may say; Woe be to them that call Evil Good, and Good Evil, that account keeping on the Hat in simplicity of Heart to God, as we do our other Garments without contempt to any, I say that account and call this Evil, and yet account putting off the Hat, in honour to proud Flesh, Good; the Apostle James saith, He that hath respect to Persons committeth sin, and is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor. Jam. 2.9. but Baxter in this his pleading for the Hat, saith [it is lawful] but to keep Christ's Commands, in having respect to Christ, and not to the Persons of Men [oddness and singularity] and so, though this Baxter, and his Fellows, condemn us for this, yet Christ justifies us, and so we have peace with God: And for going in a meaner Garb than others; whosoever he intent by this, we know that Baxter, and all such proud masterly Teachers, are far enough from this, for they are quite out in the other extreme; for if you will find Pride and Prodigality, who more notorious in the Land then the Priests and their Families, who live in Pride, Idleness, fullness of Bread, the sins of Sodom? and the poor People see it, though they are forced to labour and drudge for them, as the Israelites in Egypt: And so they spend their Money, for that which is not Bread, and their labours, for that which satisfies not their Souls, as the Prophet of Old complained, and that which is most sad, they must do it by force; for if the People do see them to be totally void of Grace in their lives, yet according to Baxter's Doctrine, they must not take them for no Ministers, how ever they must be at cost with them, to maintain them in their Pride and Idleness, or else look for a Prison, or spoiling of their Goods, and the like; but the Lord hath shaken his Hand at such dishonest Gain. But as for a distinguishing Habit, which this Baxter charges upon the Friars; How is it that he could not see himself, and his Brethren, in their distinguishing Habits of black Gowns, black clothes, Tippets, Hoods, Surplices, and the like? Oh, these unjust men, who are all eye abroad, and none at home; but this was ever the nature of such as were out of Christ's Doctrine. Also whereas this Baxter by these words [That all may see, and say, this is a singular Person in Religion] doth endeavour to make People believe, that, our not putting off our Hats (which we do merely in obedience to God, who commands us not to honour proud Flesh) is done for a selfish end, and in our own wills, or so, to get a Name, is such a piece of haughtiness and foolishness in him, that nothing but mere Envy could have taught him such a piece of unreasonableness; for who is there, that sees not the contrary effect to come of our not putting of our Hat, to what Baxter here sets down? For it is so far from getting us a Name of being religious amongst men, that they do as it were with one Mouth cry out against us, unmannerly Fellows, and the like, for it: And truly, but that the pure fear of God strengthens us, it were impossible for us to bear the Reproaches, Fineings, and Beat, and daily cross that attends this very same thing; so that to cross proud Flesh in this one thing, exposes the poor Creature to great Trials in these degenerate Days, even amongst them that profess Christ (who made himself of no reputation in this World) from whom one might expect better usage, for so harmless a thing: But as Christ and his Apostles, and Disciples found, no better usage amongst the professing Jews of those days, for doing the Will of God: So we are even made content to undergo all things for the Truth's sake from our own Country Men and Professors in these days, even from all who profess the Letter, and want the Life and Virtue of what they do profess: And praised be God for ever, who through his Grace gives our Souls the Victory; but as for this Baxter and his Followers, who are so full of that earthly fallen wisdom, which receives honour of men, and judges of things according to the Flesh; I say, for them to seek God's Honour, and glorify him in such low contemptible things, as this is, is at present far from them; but to put off the Hat in honour to proud Flesh, And to love greetings in the Markets, and to go in long Robes, as the old Pharisees did, and to be called of men Master, and the like, which gets praise and applause of the World, though Christ forbid it never so much, I say these things they like better, the more is the pity; see Mat. 23. and so it appears who are in the Selfishness, Pride and Hypocrisy, and who are not, and so is the Scripture fulfilled which saith, In that day it shall be seen, who are they that fear God, and who not; Glory to God for his unspeakable Gift, and not unto us, but to thy Name be the Praise O Lord.  
What would this Baxter (if he had been in those days) have said of Christ, of whom it was said, That he taught the Way of God truly, and regarded not the Persons of Men, (than surely he put not off his Hat in honour to proud Flesh, as ye do) I say, would not this Baxter have called him some odd conceited singular proud Fellow, as his Predecessors the Pharisees of those days (Who received Honour one of another) did? no question but he would; for if he do thus to us his Servants, What would he have done to him our Lord and Master? but happy are all they in this day, who choose rather to suffer the Affliction and Reproach with Christ and his People, then to enjoy the Pleasures of sin, which are but for a Season; so be it.  
ALso because this R. Baxter in pag. 27. of his Preface saith, That People are far more averse (that is contrary or against) to Communion or Concord with the Parish Churches, than the conforming Ministers are; and yet he seems in his Epistle to Bryan's Book, to be unwilling that People should think he hath conformed, though he hath pleaded for it, and against separaing from the Parish Assemblies and Worships, as now managed, and also seeing that Bryan, as he saith, is, or was silenced for nonconformity himself: I desire all that reads these Lines, to take notice of what a strange uneven and unrighteous Spirit these men are of in their creeping, and twisting, and twining to and fro; yet the Eye of the Lord, and his Blessed Spirit in his Children this day doth easily spy them out: Sometimes they are all for Conformity, and against Separation by any means, and plead the Common-prayer-peoples' Cause with all their might, as it were; and yet presently they are all on a fire against any that shall think they are Conformists: Nay, says Baxter, How can any judge him to be a Conformists, who is silenced for Nonconformity? But if this Baxter (sometime a Head to those called Presbyterians at and about Kidderminster) and Bryan of the same nature, sometimes a Teacher at Coventry, be not conformed, or be not yet Conformists, as well as others of their Brethren, who have long since licked up their Vomit, the old Common-Prayer Service, which they vomited up in Oliver's time, because it hindered them then from swallowing the People's Labours; and seeing they plead so shamelessly for it, and also seeing this Baxter, in express words confesseth, That they are not so much against Conformity with the Common-Prayer Service, as the People are; What may be the Reason of this strange thing, to wit; That they do not in all things conform; to wit, in Deed and Practice, as well as in words, save only, as is plain to me, this; to wit, because they judge that their Admirers are not yet sufficiently wearied out with keeping off, nor sufficiently moulded and fitted in their Minds for coming in; and therefore they have lingered, and may do yet linger a while longer before they do openly, and before all appear Conformists, desiring if possible to see the People in before them; for these two chief Presbyterian Priests, so called, are wholly already in the Parish Stuff, in their Judgement, and with their Minds and Hearts already, or at lest would be thought so to be by the wicked World, of whom they are Lovers: Yet they see not how to vend their flattering Doctrines, if their Admirers conform not, and come not in with them, or rather be not in the Pit before them; so weak and wretched a thing is man, yea, the best seeming of the Sons of Men, out of the Truth; oh, how truly fulfilled by these men, are those words of the Apostle, where he speaking of the false hypocritical out-side-Teachers of that Time, saith, With good words, and fair speeches, they deceive the Hearts of the Simple? Therefore ever praised be Christ, who hath opened our Eyes to see, and persuaded our Hearts, to avoid such Wolves in Sheepsclothing, as this Baxter, and Bryan are; For, what finer, and higher Talk, or Skin, or Clothing can the Wolf get, then to make Sermons of dwelling with God, and the like, as this Bryan doth? when it's manifest, he neither knows God, nor his Way, nor his dwelling-Place; but is inwardly ravened, from that good and Blessed Spirit of Truth and Honesty which should commend him to God. The Wolves nature in R. Baxter is already in this Writing set down and manifest; and now I come in the Light of the Lord, to make manifest some of his Brother Bryan's. And first shall set down that blasphemous Passage of his, in p. 291. and 292. of his sixth Sermon, in that Book of his entitled dwelling with God, etc. where he saith, I am not ignorant, that many of you, whose Habitation, I question not but the Lord is; who have your Habitation in several Countries of this Kingdom, have drunk a deep Prejudice, against all the Parochial Congregations; whereof you are legal Members, and where all you were baptised, and thereby were made the Members of Christ, the Children of God, and Heirs of his Kingdom: I fear some of you will startle at these expressions, found in the Common-Prayer: But if you consult the Holy Scriptures, you will find them warranted in a sacramental Sense; and your prejudice hath so far wrought upon you, that you have forsaken the assembling of yourselves together with your Neighbour's, in the public Meeting-places; thus far this Bryan.  
Answer, But ever praised be the Lord, who hath delivered us from the mouths of such manifest Wolves, as these are, who in times past were hidden, but are now fully seen, (who, though his Brother Baxter says, his Mouth was stopped, or silenced for not conforming, yet here it seems it is wide open still, according to his and their custom, to manifest his folly and wicked-inside against the Truth; and for deceit) that the Simple-hearted might forever be warned, from following such any more; for who would have thought, that ever (him called) Doctor Bryan of Coventry, and Richard (called Mr.) Baxter of Kidderminster, who were so promoted in Oliver's time, for conformity to Oliver's Laws, and Religion, in opposition to the Prelates, and their Common-Prayers, should now with a little blast of men's Breath, be silenced (as Baxter's Epistle to his Book saith) for a time, and so shattered, and confounded with the fall; that when they awaked, and got a little Breath, that they should for fear of men, be so transformed into other shapes, as not to be ashamed, to get into their Mouths blasphemous words [of making People Members of Christ, Children of God, and Heirs of his Kingdom] by having a little Water sprinkled on their Faces by a manmade-Priest; when they were Infants, and understood nothing; than which passage, there is not any passage in the Liturgy, or Common-Service-Book, nay, nor in any Book in the World whatsoever, more contrary to the Scriptures of Truth, as all sober Minded People well understand; yea, and this Bryan himself knows in his own Conscience, that they are not sound words, though he most notoriously, and falsely say, to please the present Evil World [with all that the holy Scriptures warrant them in a sacramental Sense] But I desire that all People, who fear the Lord, would take heed of such dangerous Heresies; for the Scriptures of Truth, do not allow of Falsehood, in any Sense at all, for its absolutely false in the sight of God, and to all good Men, that Infants by any such outward sprinkling, or doing (as they call Baptism) are made the Children of God, Members of Christ, Heirs of his Kingdom: seeing the Scripture no where commands any such thing; but saith, That except People be born from above, they cannot see the Kingdom of God: But the Day is dawned, that makes all things manifest, praises to God: And therefore People consider what a wretchedness those are under, who follow such blind Guides, as turn and change with every Time; and can be any thing, or nothing in appearance, so that they can but keep up their Name amongst men? What was the Common-Prayers, and such things, so odious and damnable a thing in the Eyes of these Priests in Oliver's Time? And is it now, yea the worst part of it, became such an Idol in their Eyes, as that those that dwell in God, must be condemned of deep prejudice for not conformity to it; What will not that spirit that climbs over the Door, and never was sent of God to preach the Gospel say, or unsay, so as it can but please the present Times? But Oh thou, blasphemous Bryan, the Accuser of the Brethren; can those that dwell with God deny to conform to that Worship or Service which is of God: And therefore it is safely and truly concluded, that the Parish-Service thou pleads for, is not of God, because for conscience to God, with whom they dwell, they cannot conform to it: but, Oh how the Serpent creeps upon his Belly to do mischief, by seeking to persuade the conscientious People, That by their not joining with the Parish Worships, and Assemblies, they open their Mouths wide to cast a Scandal upon their Persons, as profane, and upon the strict Profession of walking precisely according to the written Word, which they think (says this Bryan, in that pag. 292. of his Book) gives you no warrant for your Separation, etc. And then down upon his Belly he goes, saying, My humble and earnest request to you is, to lay aside your prejudice, and examine by the good Word, whether your separation be not sinful?  
Answ. To which I answer in the Word of the Lord; Blessed for ever, that we, who for the Work and Word of the Lord in our Hearts and Mouths, are by the sinful Parishes of England, and elsewhere, disdained, and scornfully called Quakers, are not separated from them because of any prejudice, or the like, against them; but God who by his Everlasting Light of Truth hath showed us the Evil of their Doings, and of our own, when we worshipped we knew not what amongst them; he, I say, hath separated us from them, and joined us to himself in Christ Jesus, where, with him our Dwelling is indeed, (though Bryan think not so) praised be the Name of our most holy Lord God for evermore: And so we are not yet to examine, whether our separation be sinful, or nay; for that is done, and we do know it to be good, according to the good Word from the beginning, most certainly: And so the offence which the Parish-worshippers take, is offence without all cause on our parts given; and so it is no other, than the Unbelievers took in all Generations, against them that feared God; as the Jews were offended at Christ and his Apostles, yea, and all Christians in those days, because they could not worship with their Neighbour's in their Superstitions, as this Bryan would have us; and not only so, but they killed Christ, and his Apostles, and grievously persecuted the Christians for their separation then, as they do us at this day; and so the reproach of Christ, is to us great Riches, and the Persecutors God will examine, and judge: And as Moses did choose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God, then to enjoy Egypt's Glory for a Season, so blessed are all, that with us are persuaded in their Hearts, to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes, not heeding what the Wicked say, or judge of them; but as the Apostle exhorts, looking at Jesus the Author, and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, and despised the Shame; and so through all the Trials and Persecutions of this World, enter into God's Glory, where none can come to make afraid.  
But if there be any, who through prejudice (as this Bryan speaks) and not by the Spirit of the Lord, are separated from the Parish-Worship; it is necessary for such, to see to themselves, and consider, lest their return be as shameful, as their separation was sinful, (like this Bryan and Baxter) who it seems all this while, have been no real and true Separatists to God; but have been only in the self-separation according to the will and force of Times: For though the poor deceived Followers of such men be at present more averse from joining with the Superstitions of the Times, than your Hearers are (as Baxter says) yet if you grow not out of their rotten Root, into the Root Christ Jesus, you will be weary, and faint in your Way, before the end: but let all know, that these self-separatists, who have not their Birth of God, are no real Dwellers with God, though this Bryan its like had an Eye especially to such in his words, and to whom its like in a special manner he applies his fawning flattering words and desires; But what's the Reason, may we say again, that these nonconforming Ministers by Baxter's report, are not so much against the Parish-Way of Worship, as now managed, as their Hearers are, save only their gross Hypocrisy, and selfseeking nature, and double mind, as was hinted before? for they have carried the People in hand, that they would suffer; yea, what would they not suffer, rather than conform; and now behold how this Teacher of Teachers (Baxter) hath bewrayed their Nakedness: O People, People, who have been long deceived by such double-minded-ones (who are unstable in all their Ways) that you would turn your Minds from them, to the true Light of Jesus Christ in your Conscience, that with it you might first see yourselves, and so growing up in that true Light, you might come to see Jesus Christ, who never fell, nor never changeth, to be your Teacher and Minister; and so come from off the Barren Mountains, whether these, & the like, deceitful men (Baxter and Bryan) have led you, and left you; for now is the Lord making unto all People a Feast of fat Things, of Wine on the Lees well refined, ever praised be his Name for it. And now, if after all the Light that the Lord hath set up in this day, you will not be warned, to come into the Liberty of the Sons of God, and so accept of God's Freedom in his Son freely tendered you; what remains? but if you be fastened more in the Pit of Darkness with all Unbelievers, it is just.  
But whereas this Baxter tells of his Brother Bryan's silencing formerly for not conforming, it had been well for him, that he had been silent still, rather than have opened his Mouth thus to the dishonour of God, and strengthening Deceit in the Deceitful, and so to the everlasting Shame and Confusion of his own Face; and all his raking up something here and there, as he could get hold of it in his dark Imaginations, for Parish conformity, it is so nothing to the purpose, and so well seen to be so, by all that are not wilfully blind, that it serves only to discover his own nakedness, and rotten inside, as not only by what hath been already said, but by what also now follows doth further appear, as in page 295. is set down, where he saith:  
It is no sufficient warrant to separate from a Church, because it is guilty of such Sins and Corruptions as deserves God should forsake, & for which he hath threatened in his Word, that he will forsake it (here by the way take notice, that this Bryan here considered not, that he fully makes manifest the Hypocrisy of his Brother Baxter, who talks of his Hearers forsaking the Corruptions of the Times, and yet is one with this Bryan in persuading them to join with such a Body, as is so corrupt, that deserves that God should, yea, and hath threatened that he will forsake them) but to go on, Bryan saith, Yet People should not forsake that bad Company, till it appear that God hath put in execution, that which he justly threatened, we ought to acknowledge it, and receive it as his House, and not refuse to dwell with him in it; for shall man be holier than God? And hate corruption more than he? And we may not communicate with it, by consenting to any Corruptions that are or shall be detected, or proved to be in it.  
Answ. To which strange Doctrine of this Bryan, to which Baxter in his Epistle says, Amen; I say, in the first place, it is absolute Blasphemy against the Holy Name and Nature of God, either to say, or imagine, that God dwells with such a People as are guilty of such Sins and Corruptions, as this Bryan here speaks of; and how far unlike this Bryan's spirit is to the spirit of the Prophets, who said, God is of purer Eyes, then to behold Iniquity; and your sins have separated betwixt you and your God: and the Apostle saith expressly, That those that would have God to dwell in them (and it's certain God dwells with none, but as he dwells in them) they must be separated, and touch no unclean them 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18. And doth the Lord command us, to come out from amongst the Unclean? And will he himself, the holy One of Israel dwell with the Unclean, yea with such as are guilty of such Sins and Corruptions as deserve, that God should forsake them for them; yea for which God hath threatened in his Word, that he will forsake them? And certainly there can be no Way, nor Means to stay or hinder the Execution of God's Judgements threatened and deserved, but by forsaking those Sins, and Corruptions, which such People are guilty of, which the People of England (that this Bryan) would have us, and others to join with, are far from; for, O England, England, thou and thy Parishes are they that will not come to Christ, that they might have Life; but persecutes them (with all unreasonableness, and cruel usages) that the Lord hath raised up, to forewarn thee of his Judgements: and so thy House being left desolate of God, and goodness, we are not more holy than God, nor hate Corruption more than he, in our separating from thee, as this wicked man Bryan would have thee falsely believe; but in our separating from thee, we do the Lord's Command, and follow his blessed Example; and so we cannot receive that for God's House, which he dwells not in: And so thou art a false Witness, O Bryan, and a Blasphemer of God and his Tabernacle, for the Temple and Tabernacle of God is holy; which Temple are his holy Members and Body the True Church; not Babylon, the False, Sinful and Corrupted Church, which Baxter, and Bryan pleads for: and if any defile the Temple of God, saith the Apostle, him will God (not call his House, and dwelling place, but) destroy, 1 Cor. 3.17.  
Again, How shall this gross Contradiction, which this twisting twinding Serpent makes, be salved? For this Bryan one while says, It's to be holier than God, to separate from such a sinful corrupt Sort, as deserves God's Judgements: And yet with the same Mouth saith, We may not communicate with them, by consenting to any Corruptions that are, or shall be detected, or proved to be in such a People; What join with a manifest Corrupted Body, whose very Prayers (by their own confession) are not without sin, and not so much as consent to any of their Corruptions? What a joining is this, when it must not be a joining; no, not so much as in the consent; What gross dark Contradiction is here (and now to bring this a little home to the business of England) a Doctor (so called) and Pleader for Conformity and Communion with the Parish-Worshippers of England, which are detected, and manifestly proved; yea, and not only by their words, but by their own Confession also, to be miserable Offenders against God; yea, so guilty, and full of sins and corruptions, from the crown of the Head, to the Soles of their Feet, as that they have no Health, nor Soundness at all in them, would have us conform to them; and yet he saith, We may not communicate with them, by consenting to any of their proved Corruptions: Then I say, If we may not have Fellowship with them in their Corruptions, no, not so much as by consent; then we must not have Fellowship with them at all, for they and their Corruptions are one; for saith Christ, Ye are of your Father the Devil, for his Works ye will do: But saith Bryan, Christ was a Member of this Church (as he calls it) of those wicked Jews; because he was circumcised, and frequented the Temple, and eat the Passover, or so; than which saying of this Bryan, nothing can be more false and blasphemous; for what, though Christ was circumcised, and went sometimes into the Temple, and eat the Passover, or so, which had been Ordinances of God for their time, and were Shadows of good Things to come; what is that to prove Christ a Member of that Body, whose House was left unto them desolate, and who were headed by the Devil, which at length put them on to murder him? O sad, that ever People in their love of the World should be so blind! but what is Christ's conforming to the Shadows of the Law, which God gave for that time, and by him to be fulfilled, and so ended, to your requiring us to conform to you in that, or those Things which God never ordained? as sprinkling of Infants; and not only so, but teaching for Doctrine, that you make them thereby the Children of God, Members of Christ, and Heirs of his Kingdom; and also your giving David's Psalms in Rhyme and Meeter, to the wicked World, to sing to God's dishonour: And to hear a proud Man, and covetous man (who is an Idolater) preach and pray, whom God never sent; yea, and to maintain him in his sins, contrary to all Reason and Religion; also how can we conform to you in your corruptions of respecting Persons, and of having men's Persons in admiration because of advantage? contrary to the express Doctrine of the Apostle, which saith, Jam. 2.1. etc. Have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory, with respect of Persons: yea, and plead for their Transgressions; yea, how can we conform to such, as under the Name of Christians, do live manifestly in the sins of the Heathen; as Fornication, Covetousness, Idolatry, Drunkeness, and are Railers, and Extortioners, and lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God: from whom the Apostle bids us turn away? 2 Tim. 3. and 1 Cor. 5.11. etc. with whom he forbids us to eat; and yet with such, both Baxter and Bryan, for all their former seeming hypocritical zeal, would now have us to communicate, yet not so much as consent to their Corruptions, neither as their daubing contradicting Doctrine seems willing to have: then I say, we must neither have fellowship with them in their Worship-Actions, (as Baxter calls them) nor in their ordinary Conversation, for all is corrupt; for what greater assent or consent can we give, then by joining with them, or practising such things openly: but its better to obey God then Man, both in this, and all things, and as the Lord said to Jeremiah, so in this case hath he said to us: Let them return to thee, but return not thou to them; for what fellowship hath Light with Darkness, or the Temple of God with Idols?  
And now I come a little to set before you poor People, who have been deceived by such men as this Baxter and Bryan are, something of the answer they give to the Arguments of the zealous People of old (called Brownists, or so) who could not for Conscience sake conform to their Common-Prayer, etc. Their Objection saith Bryan, in page 297. of his Book was this, to wit.  
That the People of England were never rightly called; for in the beginning of the Queens (to wit, Elizabeth's) Reign, they were by her Command and Proclamation compelled to embrace the Protestant Religion, and to conform to God's Worship: whereas in the new Testament we have no Example of People compelled to the Service of God: Christ commanding Fishermen to convert Souls by preaching, not Princes to make Disciples by compulsion; therefore the Church of Christ (England he should have said; for who ever denied the Church of Christ) had no right constitution?  
But now see the wretched Answer of this Bryan to the said Objection of the old Non-conformists.  
If we speak (saith he) of a Church first planted; the People of such a Nation are first called by the Word, before they come to be a Church: but it is not so (saith he) of a Country, where for a long time true Religion hath been professed, which is our case: and as to that part of the Objection; that there is no such Example in the New-Testament.  
First, The Magistrates were then Enemies to the Christian Religion.  
Secondly, (saith he) It sufficeth that we have Examples in the Old-Testament, 2 Kings 23.21.2 Chron. 15.13, and 33.16. and 34.33. nor have (saith he) Christian Princes less Power in their Dominion to abolish Idolatry, and by Laws and Penalties, to compel their Subjects where there is a parity of Reason.  
And after this, Bryan having wearied himself, with setting down several words, to and against, both what the Conformists said for, and the Non-conformists said against these Things: he takes breath, and says, he returns to satisfy the Objection, to wit, the Objection before mentioned about Separation, with such words as these.  
It is not necessary and generally true (saith he) of all the Members of the Visible Church, that they be called by the Word.  
Answ. To which I answer on behalf of Truth: That it is the great Love, and tender Mercy of God to our Souls, that he hath delivered us from under such men, as this Bryan and Baxter are, who know nothing as they ought to know; but professing themselves to be wise, are become most foolish and brutish in their minds and words, by such false, and soul-destroying Doctrines as these; affirming, that People may be called into the visible Church without the Word; and if one ask him, if not by the Word; by what then? His answer is, by sprinkling, when Infants, or for fear of Man: But what, are these Calls into the visible Church? A strange Church must that needs be for certain, where People are called into it without God's Word; for certain it's none of God's Church, into which People are called, without his Word: It's the visible Company of such as know not God, thou shouldst have said: for God's Church are the Faithful; and their Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, and not without it: But, oh the Desolation that such Doctrine as this of Bryan and Baxter hath made amongst the poor People, whose Eyes are not fully opened to see their deceits.  
Also this Antichristian Doctrine being laid as a Foundation in their House, it is no wonder to hear this Bryan say, pag. 301. That Ignorant and Profane Persons have always been in the Church, and ever will be, at lest, till Christ comes the second Time.  
But by all these unfound, unchristian and ignorant sayings, it fully appears, that this Bryan is one of them, who have neither seen nor known Christ; seeing he would bring in the Heathen into the Temple without the Word: and so, who is more ignorant and profane, than this Priest Bryan himself, as also his Brother Baxter, who is not ashamed to make such a one a Tutor, or Father of Ministers, who is ignorant of the very Door and entrance into the Church, and of Christ's second coming? nay who is ignorant of his first appearance, which was for Judgement, even to whip the Buyers and Sellers, and all profane Ones out of his House, as he said himself, For Judgement come I into this World: And so, What Pastors or Teachers can such Tutor, as are so ignorant of Christ's Kingdom; and so admit the Ignorant and Profane into their Church, (or Cage of unclean Birds) for the Church of Christ, which is visibly seen, and known by the Spiritual Eye to be his Body, is holy, and ●nto it can no unclean thing enter, as saith Scripture, Revel. ●1. 27. but into the World●s-Church may, both ignorant and profane enter and dwell; but at such dishonest Gain, as is gotten by such Doctrines as this of Bryan and Baxter, hath the Lord long shaken his Hand; Is this your Ware that you sell to the People at so dear a rate? Is this your Straw and Stubble, that you feed them with? But no man of any understanding in venly matters, will buy any more of your Merchandise forever. For God is come to teach his People himself, and the Spirit of God is felt and witnessed amongst us, praised be God; yea, and in our very Hearts to teach us, and by which we feel Christ come again the second Time without sin to Salvation, according to his holy Promises, and by whose all powerful Word of Faith and heavenly Presence in us, are we joined together unto him, in one holy Body; glory to his Name over all, for he is worthy, so be it.  
And for that saying, That Christian Princes have not less Power to abolish Idolatry, and by Law and Penalties, to compel their Subjects in matters of Religion, where there is a parity of reason, than the Jewish Kings under that Law had.  
I Answer, and say, That all are not Christians, who are so called; and this crying up the Worldly Magistrates Power in matters Spiritual, is the only in let into Persecution of the tender Hearted People of God, who cannot bow to every thing the World sets up; yea, though it come under the name or show of Christian Religion; and if the Image be of Gold never so goodly, yet wanting Life and Power, they cannot bow to it. I say, they who preach up the worldly Princes under what Name soever, to have power over the Consciences of People in matters purely Spiritual (as the whole Body of Christian Religion is) are Antichristian, and the great Enemies of that Liberty which Christ hath purchased for his People, and which the Apostles sealed unto with their Blood, saying in such cases, Let every man be fully persuaded in his own Heart: And who art thou that judges (much less force● and compellest as Bryan and Baxter's Doctrine would have it) another? to his own Master (10 wit, God the Judge of all) he standeth or falleth, see Rom. 14th. at large; but what account will these Daubers give to the Lord for all the Innocent Blood they have caused to be shed these many hundred Years? is sad to consider: For though such Magistrates as are evil inclined, are not free, yet the false Teachers, who by their Lies stir up, yea, and bring forth that evil inclination into real actings against the good, shall receive the greater Condemnation: and yet notwithstanding all the evil, both in the one and in the other, the Lord will certainly carry on his great Work to his own praise, which he hath begun, glory to his Name for ever: And the Beast, Whore and false Prophet, shall alive together be cast into the Lake prepared for them, and into the Pit which they had digged for others, so be it.  
Also whereas he saith, That it sufficeth, that we have examples in the old Testament for the Magistrates Power in Church matters; though none in the new Testament, or so. I say, it is no more true, then if we should reason for an outward worldly Temple, and Sacrifices, and Circumcision now, because there is examples of these things in the old Testament; and for revenge and retaliation now, because it is mentioned in the old, just contrary to Christ; For though it hath been said of old (saith Christ) an Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth; yet I say to you, my Disciples, under the New Covenant: If any Man smite you on the one Cheek, turn to him the other; and the Apostle saith, Dear beloved, avenge not yourselves; but if thy Enemy hunger, feed him, etc. and so Christ being come, and all Power in Heaven and Earth given him; Is not he in these Spiritual matters relating to the very Soul and Conscience, the only Lord, Lawgiver and King, and Supreme, and aught of right to rule in his own House and Temple, which is in Man, and those that will not that he should rule, must bow before him, and be ashamed before his Face, as saith Scripture, 2 Thes. 2.  
So that now the Son of God being come, and seated by right of Inheritance, the true King and Heir upon David's Throne, to rule in Righteousness forever in the Hearts of his Children, he commands the true Seed of Israel, to obey his heavenly Voice, Law and Doctrine, spoken and written within, as those outward and typical Kings did, command the fleshly Seed of Abraham to keep Moses' Law, written without: and as those that obeyed not that outward Law of Moses, were liable to the punishment of that Law; so they n●w that obey not Christ's Spiritual Law written in the Heart and Conscience by his holy Power, are liable to the Eternal Judgement of Jesus Christ, the Judge of Quick and Dead, as he saith, The Father judges no Man, but hath committed all Judgement to the Son: and as for the worldly Magistrate, he is to rule in outward things, betwixt man and man, to see that every one, as to the Body and outward Estate, be well beheaved one towards another, and not to bear the Sword in vain, as hath been too much in use, even amongst them called Christian-Magistrates, as well as others; from whence it hath come to pass, that for the sake of the Poor, whom the worldly Powers have oppressed, as well in Temporals as Spirituals, the Lord hath overturned them, one Sort after another, as they were found in the abuse of that Power and Trust, which was put into their Hands, for the protection of, and encouragement and praise of the Good, and punishment of the Evil-Doers; but not the contrary; according to that of the Prophet.  
I will overturn, overturn, overturn, till he come, whose Right it is: And so until Truth, Righteousness, Goodness, Equity and Justice rule, both in the Hearts and Lives of the Children of Men, there will neither be Peace, nor Establishment of any thing; but as a Wheel will the whole Earth be, from Generation to Generation, saith the Spirit, who is the sweet Orderer in all things, for the holy Seed's sake: glory to his Name forever.  
And so in the Love and Kindness of the Lord God, have I been thus enabled for the Truth, and the poor People's sake, to lay open something of the Deceits, and gross Hypocrisy of these two Men, called Baxter and Bryan, who have long under a Cover or Vizard of Holiness, deceived the unstable Souls of many: but now the Covering being rend off; their Wolfish nature is fully manifest; glory to the Lord, the good Workman over all forever, so be it.  
T. T.  
THE END.