THE fanatics CREED, OR A Door of Safety; In Answer to a bloody Pamphlet ENTITLED A Door of Hope: OR, A CALL and DECLARATION for the gathering together of the first ripe Fruits unto the STANDARD of our Lord, KING JESUS.  
Wherein the Principles, Danger, Malice, and Design of the Sectaries, are Impartially Laid open.  
London, Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane. 1661.   

THE fanatics CREED, OR A Door of Safety, etc.  
ALthough That Party might very justly be denied the common Benefits of Indulgence, and Protection, that Declares itself against the Common Rules of Religion, and Society: Yet His Majesty is rather pleased, by a gentle Interdiction of their Private meetings for the Future, to Prevent more Mischief, then by a Total Extirpation of the whole Faction so Principled to Punish the Outrages they have already Committed. God grant they abuse not This Mercy too, as they have done That already, by virtue of which they do at this Instant enjoy their Lives and Fortunes. Never was so Foul a Villainy Seconded by an Equal Madness. For a Small, Poor, Rash, Divided, Hated, and Despised Party, to Invade the Numerous, Potent, Sober, and United Interests of the Nation. A People, that enjoyed all the Privileges of Englishmen, and Citizens, without any Provocation either from Necessity, or Oppression. These are your Men of Tender Consciences;— your straitlaced Christians.— The Spirits that some Twenty years since, were Raised, to Call for Justice upon Delinquents, and Taught to Tumult for a Gospel-Ministry. The Cross, the Surplice, and the Common Prayer,— are an Abomination; but Rebellion, Blasphemy, Murder, Sacrilege, Spilling of Christian Blood like Water; (Playing the Devil in the Name of Jesus) This they call— Following of the Lamb.— Rising against the séed of the Serpent: In fine, they ascribe to a Divine Impulse, the lewdest Actions that ever proceeded from Corrupt Nature. To Reason with them, were to do too much honour to their Gross, Wild Opinions, and Time Lost to oppose Argument against pretended Revelation. It shall suffice me, to expose their Principles, and leave the World to judge whether they favour more of Christ, or Belial. To that end, I have extracted the sum of the Phanatique Creed, from one of their own Pamphlets, Entitled  
A Door of Hope: OR, A CALL and DECLARATION for the gathering together of the first ripe Fruits unto the STANDARD of our Lord, KING JESUS.  
NOw, your Attention to the Language of the Saints.- After an Invocation of the Holy Spirit; Thus doth our Libeler discourse of his late Glorious Majesty, (Page 1.)  
This beginning of Reformation, and the honest Party engaged in this Quarrel, (however by far the less number) God did abundantly own, and witness too from heaven, by opening his Salvation, and making bare his own Arm, against the late King, who was justly out off as a Murderer, (see Decl. of Parl. 11. Feb. 1647.) Tyrant and Traitor, etc.  
Soon after in the same Page he goes on,— Nevertheless, God hath now taken away all our banks, and permitted this old Enemy, to come in upon us as a flood, Isa. 59.19. And now C. S. the Son of that Murderer is Proclaimed King of England, whose Throne of Iniquity is built on the Blood of precious Saints and Martyrs, and on the Blood of all our Brethren in the late Wars, etc.  
Not to trouble the Reader with his Nauseous Calculations, and forced Glosses upon Texts, in favour of his Delusion: my Business is, in as Few words as may be, to show how Dangerous to the Civil Magistrate, and to the Public Peace, People of this persuasion are: Their Dreams of Zion and of Babel; and their setting Daniel and the Revelation together by the Ears about the Number of the Beast, concern not me. Those tedious Fooleries omitted, as beside my Purpose; I pass on to his second Page, where speaking of the Royal Party he proceeds in these Terms.  
For as he raised up Pharaoh, so hath he them, to show his Power in them, and that his Name may be declared throughout all the Earth Rom. 9.17 They are brought as Foxes into the Snare, and as Birds into the Net. We say when we consider these things, we are so ●ar from being dejected, that we cannot restrain from singing and praise, knowing that this will make much for God's Honour, our good, and this Works advantage, and they shall not be able to touch one hair of our head; nay, we were very much confirmed in our hopes of the sudden appearance of this Work, by the coming in of their poor wretched King, at whom (as the Daughter of Zion did at that great boasting Assyrian) we laugh, and have them in derision.  
And when we consider the great opinions of this year, the wonderful effects it is like to produce, the sweet harmony and agreement of the Prophecies, the visibility of those things therein foretold to fall in the time of the Witnesses death, the great likelihood of the Witnesses Resurrection, the great New Covenant-Promise of the spirit made to this Work, the wonderful undeniable signs of the times, and how miraculously we have been cut out, and preserved for this Work, of which we shall speak in a brief Treatise by itself: And also having our hearts broken with the Love of Christ, and boiling over, and having tasted through choice distinguishing grace, the Preciousness, Power and Love, of a soul-endearing Jesus; we are mightily awakend and stirred up, and that Fire that has been hid under our Ashes will break out into Flames, n●d that Fountain of the Rivers of Living Waters into Streams, as the bubbling Springs that searcheth the ground, and finding entrance gusheth out. Our Lives, and every thing else that is dear unto us upon a worldly account, we despise as a mean thing in comparison of the glory of that Name, which is to us as precious Ointment, and we lay all down at the feet of our Lord Jesus, resolving if we perish to perish there.  
His Zeal grows now a little warm, in these words, Page 3.  
We therefore freely, of a ready mind, and with a most cheerful heart (accounting it an Honour too great for us, poor worms, who are the meanest of Men, the greatest of Sinners, and the least of Saints, to gird on a Sword for Christ.) Give up our Lives and Estates unto our Lord King Jesus, and to his People, to become Soldiers in the Lamb's Army, abhorring Mercenary Principles, and Interests. And for this works sake we desire not to love our lives unto the death, neither will we ever (if we may speak so great a word with reverence in the fear of God) sheathe our Swords again, until Mount Zion become the joy of the whole Earth, a Mountain of holiness and a habitation of justice, until Rome be in Ashes, and Babylon become a bissing and a curse, the border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever, there being left unto her neither Name, nor Remnant, Son, or Nephew. For that we are not purposed, when the Lord shall have driven forth our Enemies here, in these Nations, and when we shall in a holy Triumph, have led our Captivity Captive, to sit down under our Vines and Figtrees, but to go on to France, Spain, Germany, and Rome, to destroy the Beast and Whore, to burn her Flesh with Fire, to throw her down with violence as a Millstone into the Sea, that she may be found no more at all, Rev. 18.21. Jer. 51.35 to bring not only these, but all the Nations to the subjection of Christ, that the Kingdom may be the Lords, and to perfect the deliverance of all the Saints, the remnant of the Waldenses, and all the Children of the Freewoman, who are yet groaning and crying under the Tyranny and Persecutions of Antichrist, and to avenge the blood of all the Martyrs, which we earnestly remember, and which is an especial motive unto us, the cry of which is very loud in our ears, and much more in the ears of God, unto whom vengeance belongeth. And this is much more than a National Quarrel, that which is the Test now, being the interest of Christ, the blood of the Butchered, Murdered, Martyred, and Massacred Saints, the Interest of the good People, the Liberties of all men, and the undoing of all the sinful oppressions and yokes of the whole Creation.  
The Controversy now lies between Zion and Babylon, Christ and Antichrist; and therefore we assert, That it is lawful for the true spiritual Seed, the legitimate Heirs of the promises and the World, Rom. 4.13. To RISE UP against the carnal, serpentine, accursed seed, who are the destroyers of the Earth, Ren. 11.18. To possess the GATE of their Enemies, to bind their Kings in Chains, and their Nobles in Fetters of Iron. And we being called of God, and cut out without hands or human contrivement, in whom is shown forth his Power; RISE UP on God's behalf (free from the guilt of the breach of Oaths and Covenants upon our Consciences) to conflict with this profane persecuting Spirit of the Dragon, and the Worshippers of the Beast that dwell on the Earth. And we Call all that have a Life to lay down for their King and Saviour, to come forth against them with the Sword, and execute upon them the judgements written. Are you a poor despised Remnant? why, God has form you for himself: As Christ was a tender Plant, and a Root of dry Ground; so may his Kingdom arise out of a poor, obscure, illiterate, and (such as the World calls) Fanatic people. And out of them shall come forth the Corner, the Nail, and the Battel-bow; we look for a righteous Spiritual Magistracy out of the new sharp threshing Instrument.  
From hence, after another Page, divided betwixt Rail against Bishops, Ceremonies, and Cavaliers, and the Recommendation of a well-ordered Commonwealth, which he says is Intended by his Kingdom of Christ, having Called in All to his Assistance, that either Hate the One, or Love the Other; he pronounces the King to be a Professed Enemy, a Rebel, and Traitor to Christ, [Page 5.] And half a dozen Lines further, Shall we Quietly (says he) give up our Necks to the Yoke, and suffer the Common Prayer, Organ, etc. to be imposed on us? Is Israel a home-born Slave, that we should boar the Ears of our Souls, and Bodies in their Posts? What can we expect from them, if we will not take their wicked Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, that which we cannot do, though we should Die, because they are against both the Priestly and Kingly offices of our Lord Jesus, etc.  
Did but this Miserable Creature Think of Christ's Doctrine, while he Prates thus Impertinently of his Offices, he might Remember that we are to Obey, not to Destroy our Governors, for the Lords sake. Does not our Blessed Saviour say himself, My Kingdom is not of this world? But why do I contest with Whirlwinds, or with Shadows: with a Phantôme, that is nothing but Fury, and Delusion? To Fellow him through All his wander; he runs himself Quite out of Breath in the next Leaf, against Popery, and the Design of Crushing the Reformed Interest. He tells us further of Massacres designed by the Jesuits, but whether by Those of the Society of Jesus, or These of the Kingdom of Jesus, may be another Question. Upon the Whole, he concludes the Necessity of Taking Arms; and here follows his Christian Invitation to that Purpose. Page 8.  
Who so loveth God, his Country or his own Rights which Christ purchased for him by his Blood, and cannot sell his Body, Soul, and Conscience to the Devil, to wicked men and their lusts, to commit sin with greediness, and run with them to the same excess of all manner of filthiness and wickedness, must now take up the Sword against this Beastly crew, as the last remedy God has left us; for such is the unparallelled iniquity of this day (we hope the Devil is playing his last game in England) that a man that hath but Sobriety in his looks, can scarcely pass without the brand of Fanatic.  
And these men themselves have set us free from the Bonds of Subjection; for we have no benefit by the Government of this bloody Family, neither are we comprehended within the Verge of their Protection: Wherefore they cannot justly challenge any obedience from us by the Law of Nature or Nations: For a man is not bound to pay him Subjection who seeks his Destruction.  
But although, The Children are brought to the birth, there is no strength to bring forth; the hour is now come, and we are travelling in pain to be delivered, for the Name of our God, the Noble and Precious Interest of his Christ, and the Deliverance of his Saints and People; and O how are we straitened till it be done! We have been with much fear and trembling in this Work, and much wrestling have we had with the Lord: for so far as he has revealed ourselves unto us, we had rather suffer all things, not only to the loss of our Names, and Estates, but even our very Lives for his sake, who since we believed is made precious to us, then dishonour his great and holy Name; and our Souls are sweetly quieted in the Lord, and abundantly satisfied in the time; and certainly if we be deceived, God has deceived us. And now the Love of Christ has constrained us in the face of the greatest perils and dangers, none of which move us, so we may finish our course with joy, and serve our Generation in the works which God has committed to us, according to his will. And we profess we have nothing but the naked Arm of the Lord to trust in; and if we perish, we'll perish in believing his promises, in serving and promoting his Cause, in contending for this Noble Truth of the Kingdom of his dear Son. And this is our joy, that our God has bound himself by his Promises (in his fear we speak it, and with reverence) to appear for his People: And if God should not appear for his poor Remnant of Jacob, and suffer then for whom his precious blood was shed to fall before Papists, and Cavaliers, and profane, drunken, damning, swearing, Idolatrous, Adulterous, wicked and ungodly men; and should suffer the Cause of the Papists, of the bloody Family of the Stuarts, of the old bloody, Popish, wicked Gentry of the Nation, of the drunken, dumb, Popish▪ scandalous Clergy, to get the upperhand of his own Cause, and should suffer all our Reformation to be lost, then what would become of his great Name? It was because he could not bring them into the good Land, (will the Enemy say) that he has destroyed them in the Wilderness: What will become of his promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their Seed? How will the New Covenant sealed with the blood of Christ, and the Oath he swore unto David in his holiness, be verified.  
Now therefore, to come to the matter of our Declaration, that we may lay the Groundwork of so great a Building, and stir up and provoke our Brethren in all the Countries, as also in the City of London, to share with us in this honour, and be partakers in this work, and now to prepare themselves, and in all points to be ready, in order to a general rendesvouzing on Mount Zions' bottom, We declare, etc.  
Thus far, the Saints Call to the Standard; Now, Their Declaration, which consists of Three Heads. 1. The Renunciation of Antichristian Magistracy, Ministry, Tithes, etc. 2. The Establishment of Civil Liberty upon the Foundation of the Visible Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. 3. The manner of Disposing of the Spoil which shall be taken in Battle.  
The Substance of their First Proposition runs thus, page 9  
We contend for a Righteous Magistracy, that may be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well, and for a true Gospel-Ministery with their Maintenance: And we own and declare our Lord Jesus Christ (unto whom and whose Laws we will alone submit, as unto him who is the Fountain and Original of all just and lawful Power) to be the Supreme Head and Lawgiver of these Natious, the alone LEGISLATOR, who has right to make and give Laws for the governing of the Commonwealth, and who is King of Saints and Nations, whose Royal Laws and Precepts must be submitted unto in Church and State, and Tyranny, Monarchy, and Antichristianism destroyed and rooted up in both; his Laws and Statutes contained in the Holy Scriptures, and remaining in force since his death, to be the Law by which these Nations shall be governed and judged; and his Saints (without respect had to any particular form or judgement) on whom shall rest the spirit of council and wisdom, shall be the Administrators thereof, or shall have the executive Power. So shall we have Magistrates like Job, that will be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and Fathers to the poor, that will break the jaws of the wicked, and pluck the spoil out of his teeth, Job 29. And we shall be the blessed of the Lord, whose habitations shall be full of the blessings of heaven and earth, and full of Peace on the foundation of Truth, and we shall be the happiest people in the world, having the best Laws and the best Governors, Deut. 4.6, 7, 8.  
Having in a word said enough of the Second Head, concerning Civil Liberty; I pass to the Third, (Page 10.) which says,  
That the chief of the Spoil which shall be taken in Battle, and all the Estates which shall be forfeited through Treason and Rebellion, shall be brought into one common Treasury, according to the Word of God, Their Gain shall be consecrate to the Lord, and their Substance to the Lord of the whole Earth, Mic. 4.13. That it may not feed the Fowls of Prey, or enrich and corrupt particular Person, as of late, but carry on the Work of God with the Army of the Lamb, in which every Soldier shall be sufficiently provided for, by a certain honourable constant Revenue, issuing out of the said Treasury, according to his Place, Degree, Services, and Family.  
And for accomplishing and attaining these great and weighty ends, we Declare also for the Razing, Destroying, and perpetual Rooting out of the whole Constitutions and Foundations of the Antichristian Laws and Government of these Nations; for the removing of Taxes, Tithes, Excise, and Customs also, so far as Oppressive and unlawful; slavish Tenors of Land, Oppressions of Landlords, Monarchy and Lordship as well in Church as State; so also in Cities, Societies, and Families, wherein the Rights of younger Brethren will be vindicated according to Law, (the nature whereof is Justice, Mercy, and Equity, wherein is no footing for such fictions as this wicked Law teacheth to distinguish between Courts of Justice and Equity) and the Nimrod-spirit and Monopolies of elder Brethren (unto whom as Kings in the Family, the younger Brethren are Slaves and Subjects, which is one grand branch of Tyranny, and Interest of Monarchy) pulled down, whose Interest nevertheless, by right of Primogeniture, is asserted according to the King's Law, to wit, twofold; For the balance of Lands must be adequate to the Government of the Commonwealth.  
And as our great desire is to take off all yokes and oppressions both of a civil and spiritual nature from the necks of the poor People; so shall we endeavour to cast the wing of Protection over them, their Persons, Families, and Interests, to preserve them from Freequarter, Plunder, and all other Injuries, and violence whatsoever, being resolved first to offer up our own proper Estates for our necessary maintenance. For it shall be our great and indefatigable care to preserve an excellent and strict Discipline in our Army, that not the least wrong of how small value soever may be done, always respecting Propriety; so that all Persons (other than such as shall oppose and rebel against this righteous Interest) may expect the fruition thereof in their peaceable Demeanours of themselves, in their lawful Occasions, and Family concerns.  
Our Pamphleter's next Care is the Free Course of the Gospel and he tells us for our comfort, (page 11.)  
That the Remnant of Jacob shall be as due from the Lord, when Magistrates and Soldiers shall preach the Gospel, and teach the people knowledge, as well as those appointed unto the Word and Doctrine; for this Cheat of the Whore of Rome, and Innovation of Antichrist, Monopolising the Work of the Ministry (to make a trade of the Gospel, and Slaves and Souls of men) into their own hands, limiting and appropriating it unto Persons in Ecclesiastical Offices, shall be taken away.  
And finally, We most earnestly desire, and call all that love our Lord Jesus Christ, and wait for his Kingdom, to offer themselves willingly with us in this Work, that as in that renowned History, Judges 5.9.14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23. Out of Ephraim there may be a Root of us against Amaleck, after thee Benjamin among thy People; out of Machir shall come down Governors, and out of Zebulon they that handle the Pen of the Writer: The Princes of ●ssachar with Deborah and Barak on foot in the Valley. And if Reuben will continue in his divisions, and abide among the Sheepfolds to hear the bleat of the Flocks; Gilead abide beyond Jordan, Dan remain in Ships, and Asher continue on the Seashore, and abide in his breaches; yet Zebulon and Napthali will be a People that will jeopard their lives unto the death in the high-places of the field; and Meroz shall be accursed, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. And our heart being towards you that among all the people offer yourselves willingly to the Work, we beseech you set all things in order prepare yourselves, and let the Rich help the Poor, that with one mouth we may all say, Thine are we David, and on thy side thou son of Jesse; Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee, And if any of the old Army which God hath laid aside, whose hearts he hath touched, do quit their Interests, and come to us on this alone lasting Foundation, they shall be willingly received.  
From hence, to the End of the Pamphlet (no less than 5. full Pages) I find nothing Remarkable, or useful. It is a Tedious, and Confused Discourse, full of Wrested Applications, and Evident Disagreements, concerning the Two Witnesses in the Revelation. The scope of it, is to persuade, that the Dwellers upon the Earth, are (as he expresses himself, Page 14.) the Old, Carnal, Cavalier, Popish Party;— who Quarrelling with the Witnesses about the Finishing Testimony, (as page 6.) will probably be now destroyed by the great Day of the Witnesses Rise, in this present year, 1660. His great Confidence being founded upon Mr. Mede 's Clavis Apocalyptica, I shall only relate one material Observation concerning that Gentleman; and apply myself then, to the Dispatch of what I have to say. Mr. Mede, (otherwise an eminent person) was so absolutely persuaded, that the King of Swede should destroy Antichrist, that so far as possible, he cast all his Calculations upon That Subject, to That Bias: at last, he found his Error, the King was slain, and the Impression of that Mistake, in the Judgement of his nearest Friends, cost that worthy Gentleman his Life. This is enough said upon this Subject.  
I shall Endeavour now to make some use of what I have extracted from this Hellish Libel; by drawing up in Short the sum of All; That done, I shall discourse upon it, as I see convenient. Take now the Fundamentals of this Reprobated Faction, with a brief View of their Design.  

The fanatics Creed.  
I Do Believe all Governors, Governments, Laws and Constitutions, to be Antichristian, save Christ himself,— his Deputies,— his Visible Kingdom, with his Laws and Statutes: of which Laws, his Saints shall be the Administrators; (but without any Literal Direction, for upon them shall rest the Spirit of Counsel and Wisdom.) I do Believe, according to the Prophets, that in this present year 1660. all Carnal Powers shall be Destroyed, and that the Controversy lying between Zion and Babylon, I am bound to List myself a Soldier to the Lamb, and called to Rise on God's behalf, to Bind Kings in Chains, etc.— to Raze and Root out all Constitutions Antichristian whatsoever, and wheresoever: and never to sheathe my Sword, till the Beast and Whore be destroyed, till Rome lie in Ashes, and Babylon become a Hissing and a Curse, etc.  
Wherefore let all that have Lives to lay down for their King and Saviour, come forth against the Wicked with the Sword, and execute upon them the Judgements written: As for the Late King, he was a Murderer, a Tyrant, and a Traitor: so is his Son; and further, an Enemy and Rebel to Christ, and we own no Subjection to that Bloody Family.   
CAn any Loyal, Modest, or Christian Ear, hear this Language without Tingling? Can any Sober or Politic Constitution, harbour these Vipers, with either Honour, or Security? I do confess, if This were but the Madness of some Few, a man might Charitably impute it, either to some unhappy Distemper of Complexion, or a more deplorable Delusion. But These are people, only Frantic in their Opinions; Their Actions have a Face of better Reason, in Order to the Execution of their Damned purposes. I grant; for Number, and for Interest they are not considerable in the Nation, and yet what Mischiefs will not Twenty Bold Rogues effect, if left at Liberty, that are of This Persuasion? We need not look far back to see the bloody Determination of these wretches. For my own Part, I have but little Interest with those that sit at the Helm; If I had more, I would employ much of it, to These three Ends. 1. To procure a strict severity against Seditious Preachers; for 'twas the Pulpit first Engaged and Licenced this Rabble; tho' for another Interest; which having served Long enough, they set up for Themselves. Nay; come to the very point of their late Tumult, 'tis more than probable, that Venner's Preachment blew them into so sudden Action. In the next place; the Press I would advise should be well Looked to. That Preaches to the Whole Nation at once. 'Tis True, some Pamphlets, with the Printers and Authors have been discovered; but there are Others, of a more Dangerous, though of a smother Composion; that pass as current, as if they had an Imprimantur, not so much as looked after, to the right End. (but of Those, I intent to say something further ere long.) Now my Third Care should be to disappoint the Intended Outrages of the fanatics. And to That Purpose; I would move that such of their Principles as are Inconsistent with the Constitution of this Nation; and Destructive to it; and Own'd for Theirs, by themselves, in This their Late prodigious Libel, might be summed up together, and offered to all suspected Persons; and whosoever should Refuse, under Hand, and before Witnesses, to disclaim the said Opinions, I would have him commanded to departed the City, and upon a Penalty not to be suffered to come within Twenty Miles of London, without Licence.  
If it be objected, that This would make them Desperate; I answer, that their Principles render them so, more than any thing else can; and that while they reteyn Those Principles, they are not to be Trusted; when they Quit them, they are not to be Punished. Alas, with how much Ease and Safety, may this be done! I was about to say how hazardous may it prove to leave it undone. I am persuaded, that the Fear of Danger where none is, produces the Greatest Dangers. Can it be Imagined that among so many Prostitute Devotees (as they reckon themselves) there are not some Combinations as well Personal, as Public; to Act, what I cannot even Conceive without Horror? If so, Where, but in This Town; by whom, but by this Faction, can such a Villainy be Attempted?  
It's True, their Private Meetings are forbidden, Yet they meet still, in spite of Authority, and in contempt of the Proclamation that forbids them. If any further Mischief ensue, let those that are to Look to't, Answer for't. I have here opposed a Door of Safety, to their Door of Hope; with the Submission of my Private Thoughts to due, and Fair Correction. I am no Public Minister, but one that Truly Loves his Country, and that hearty says, GOD SAVE THE KING.  
As to Their Jewish, and Ungrateful Revile of their Lawful Prince; That Prince, who to save the Lives of these Unmannerly Rebels, hath exposed his Own; I shall not trouble myself to Reply upon't. His Blessed Father, was ended with a Superlative, and Fatal Tenderness; The Best of Men, and the most Unhappy of Kings met in the same Person. That our present Sovereign may be as Little the Latter, as he is Perfectly the Former, shall be my Earnest and Concluding Prayer.  
January 15. 1661.  
FINIS.