. ""• :idt '{I.. Lflt. ~ ' .. .~~ T 0 T·H·.E ,RJ..G 1-f,T H·o ·N 0.~ . ,' RA6LE, !;:[>WA~:O,. ~ORD pE.NNI E;~.:A,;, ~. . ;·~u . ..:·'' ,< Jl,'ON '?,{.. ~':':_LT HA i'\:, ~'· · "'i' Jj' ..fl ! o I mIght Honourable;The:~.~.'P~ on~ Dqif,?,:;~,reuealed mtheWord ofG~d: ~~ difpenfed by 'the Pcophersand Apo!lles, of greater vfcJ'f\dponfcquence In rhe!ifeofman, then I! that, wh•ch ptdc11beth ~ Forme•ofrclccumga~d tc· thfymgtheConfe~eqc~. • • ·i · •. .• ,~ Theben~fir, which frqljl hence lifucth vnto the Church ofGod, i~ V~· fpeakable. For firfl , 1t (eruerh to di[couer th<cure !'f Ill• dangeroufd,! fore ·,, that can be,rhew•••aofrhe Spmr.Wh1cp ~<;>)V great a crotfc llis,rhe Wife m,an ' 8 '· reportcth out ofarruc e!(.penenc;e,when he falth,rhat theSp1~1t of 11 numwz~f»fl.amt hu sw(lrtJ1111t., Prou. 1 ~:, bHtA wounded SpintwhQCAn be8Tt 11? And h1s mcanmga, that no Q~tw:ardgnefeFan fa!J mto the nature ofman,which wiJJ nor be with pauence iodurcd~ to the vrmoff,[o Jong~s t.he mmde 1s no~ rroubled,or di(maieJ. But when once the Spirit is rouched,and rhe heart,(which be1ngwell apai· ed,IS thevery founraine ofpeace ro rhe whole1nan,) fmuren 1vl!h feare o_f1he o:rarh of G<1d.for linne; rhegriefc is(o grear,rheburden fo,intollerablc, rhar ir 111ill nor by any outward mtane~,bc eafcd or affwaged. ' . _; · .. :: • " Secondly,itgiuerh for all particular Cafes,fuecia!J and f<JU,nd diredion; whether man bee r,o .. talke with God,in the imm cd~a,re performanceofthe duties ofhis Seruice. ; or ro conu,rfe wuh man,according ro rhc llarc and condition ofbislifc,in rhc Familic,Churclj,_qr Common-wealth. The wantofwhich d~redion, of IV bar fore iris, ro rurnerhc ad)om ofmen, which are good m rhemfelues,ro tinne• in reg>rd ofrhe agen!i,S.l'iw/affi roncrh in rhar gcr.ernll .Oonclu(~on,Wh•r· Rom, 11 ,,_. {ceutr Un~t t~f[aitb,U /inne. Wherein he \vould rcad Jv~t, that what(o~uer ls,dsme, orvndcrtaken bY men in this JJfe,whethcr irconccrne the koO\\'iedgt and wornllp ot God, or an:)'.parricuJar duri,c to be performed,byvcrruc oftheir Callipgs,for the coa'ln'lcn gOod ;whereof they haue nor (ufficienr warrant,and alfurancc in Con(cieo,e,groundcd vpon the Wofd, dut 1t !f ro be dent, or · not robe done; to them it is afinne. . . . 'thirdly,it isofall orher D oCtrines,(bceing tightly v(ed) rbe moll comfortable. For,ir is nor founded in the opinions, and variablecooceits of ltlen, ncirher dot11 it conlitl,ofcondufions~ nd Po!irion•, which are ondy probableand conieCiurall : (forthe Confcience of the doubting or diGretfed parrie,can nor beellablifbed and rcdificd by 1hem:) bur ir relfcrh vpon moO tufficienr andcertaineGround•,co!JeCled and drawenoutofthev<ry Word ofGod,•·hich, asir umighue Heb+ " · in rptrAtion,pe4rcing the htArt,andJi(ctrning the thoughrs a~d intmts thtrto(, fo IS ualon c auadcable and elfe<.'luall to p>cifierhc mind,a11d ro giuc full farufaclion rothe ConfciCnce, And as rhe bcne5rc is great; f:> rh<~unr ofthisDo/tnne, together with the rruc manor ofap– plyingrhc fame,is, and barb bene rhe caufe,ofmany and grear inconuenience,.For eucn ofrbofe rhar feare God,and haue receiUedro beleeue, rherebe many, who m rhe timeofthm diOrelfcs, whenrhey ha•e conildered rhe waighr a11d deferrofthm ilnnes, and lVI! ball apprehended rhe wrath of Go:J,du~vnto them;haue bencbrought\'ntO hard extgcnts,mourning 1 and wallmg,and Pfdl &.6~ cryingour,as ifGod hadforfakcn rhem,vnrill1hey hauebecncrelecucd by rhe Spirit of Chnfl, ~7,,.:~·:i~· inrhemedirarionofthe word,and promifcof God. Bot rhofc e(pce~ally,who hauc nor beene m- ,Jo, (iruc.'led in rhe knowledge of rbe rrurh, nor acquainted •·irh rhecourfe ofGods dealing, with his · di(hctfcdchildrco,by rea(onof1gooranceandbltodoes in matcers ofRdtgtonaod picric, '-'hen rheLord harhlet loofe rbe cord ofrheir Confciences, & fer before their eyes,botb rhc numb<r of their tinnescommirred,and rheiull angerofGod purchafed thereby,whar haue rhey doneifurdy defpairingofrhe mercie ofGod, and their owne faluarion, they haue either growneto phrenfir, and madnes,or elfe forred vnro rhem(elueo fearefull eods.fome by hanging,fome by drowniog,o. rhers by embrumg their hands in their owne blood, And ifnor in regard ofgriefe and trouble of mind; yet for wamofbctter refolutionio parcicularcafcs, .wichinthe compatfe of theirgcnerall or p<rfonall ca!Jings,(thougb orherwi[c, men indued wi1h fome meafure ofkoowledge and obedience,) rhcy hauc either abuCed,or elfequirerelinqUifiiCd and forfaken rheircaJJmgs,and I hereby become fcandalous,and off<nliuevnro orhers. Now then,as by rhe[e and fundry orher In!lancesofproofe,the matter ir fdfeappeares robe of great waighr and importance.fo it is mo(l meere, rhar rhe bell and firrcfl courfc fiwuld bt tak en, In th(! teaching and inforcingof the fame. In which regard wee haue iull:cau(e, to challenoe 1 ~Popifh Church, who io their Cafe-wririog~ haue tnt.:J, both intthe fubHancC'and circu~. I . . --··---------·------------~-·-·-·-------------Jl_a_n.::_c_rsc:.___
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