witched them, so that all who turn from their shame, and would not pervert the honor of their Savior, by a piece of bread-all who shun false teachers, and desire the salutary administration of the Lord's supper, as above said, will be upbraided by all men, as profaners of the holy sacrament, and as degraded, cursed heretics, they must suffer and take to flight.

O blind leader! you, who throughout your life have not rightly understood one sentence of the Lord's word, nor have received one ray from his spirit, but have trodden the kingdom of God with your feet, and have thrust it from you with your horns. (Ezek. 34.) How truly are you associates of those of whom it stands written, that they say: We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have lies for our refuge, and under falsehood have we hidden ourselves (Isa. 28) again; Wo unto them who call evil good, and good evil; that put light for darkness, and darkness for light. (Isa. 5.) Wo unto you, for ye shut up the kingdom of Heaven unto men, said Christ, (Matt. 23,) and make the poor souls to err from the way. Yet again: Wo unto you! (Deut. 24.) However, I am not much astonished that such persons teach such shameful doctrine, since they have known neither Christ nor his word, but they hold and teach all things as they were taught from youth up, out of the old usages, and the papistical laws. But that which grieves me most, is, that those also who now are aware in part of the hidden whoredom of the Babylonian woman, and have put from them some of her abominations, yet cling to human sophistry, so that they cannot be moved nor taught, either with the powerful word of God, or with the unblamable lives, the candid professions, or the innocent blood of so many godly saints. Nevertheless, some of you, have, at times, to yield to the truth with stopped mouths and subdued hearts, but still ye cease not to upraid and defame, with envious tongues and slanderous lips, the bright, clear truth of Christ, and the pious children of God, before your fleshly, blind churches which are of like calling with yourselves. This also your writers do as may be seen and heard every where. Besides, I fear that they are not less guilty than the papists in moving the lords, princes and ruling powers, by commissions, complaints, outcries and writings, to persecute the Lamb of God, and his chosen, (Rev. 17) and to uproar, when their deceiving leaven, particularly the calf worship of their infant baptism, and their unfounded supper, is rejected. Let each one behold for himself and learn to know them rightly. I know of a truth that they are without the spirit, the sending, or the word of Christ; for I am sensible how malicious they are for most part against all

who are rightly led-who fear the Lord from the heart and would gladly become christians. In their doctrines and deeds they seek, not less than the papists, for human friendship, honor, or pride, rest, handsome houses, and an easy licentious life.

my beloved reader, these are not the teachers who lead many to righteousness, and who shall shine as the light of heaven, and as the stars now and in eternity. (Dan. 12.) For I know not where a single congregation shall be found which they have led with their doctrines and conduct to repenting lives, and to the worship of God. Their great clamor is against the pope and his cardinals, bishops, priests and monks. All must be upbraided by them, as profaners of the sacraments, anabaptists, fanatics, and heretics, who through the word of God, reprove their deceiving doctrines, idolatrous sacraments, idle lives, and who would gladly see the best of their poor souls.

Yea, when they can find but one, (though cut off) who was before united with the pople of God, but who has now fallen into some vice, they judge and sentence all the godly by this one; "Behold!" say they," what manner of people they are." They seek nothing so much as to find cause of censure; therefore, they look upon Judas, but not upon Peter, Andrew and John. But they do not regard what manner of people they are themselves; and what kind of disciples they have.

Besides, their coveteous, haughty, proud, drunken, impure and impenitent church, preachers and boasts, nothing but pure grace, favor, mercy, and love of God. They observe not that the whole scriptures testify that such shall not inherit the kingdom of God. They strengthen also the hands of the wicked, so that no man repents himself of his wickedness, as the prophet lamented.

O ye useless unprofitable teachers, who think that you bear the vessels of the Lord-these my words are to you! Why do you declaim so much of faith and love, whose fruit you so greatly hate and dislike. (Jer. 25.) Have you the sincere and unfeigned fear and love of God? So let them appear and be made manifest through your words. (James 2.) Say, beloved preachers! Where is your christian humility, your godly, christian zeal, pleasure, peace and joy in Christ Jesus?

Where is your mercy which you shew? Where are the naked whom you have clothed, the hungry whom you have fed, and the needy whom you have entertained? (Matt. 25.) Where is the lost whom you have again sought, the wounded whom you have bound up, and the sick whom you have healed? (Ezek. 34.) Where is your unblamable, pious life which is from God? That which you preach, perform and do, is for the most part idle, hypocrisy.

D

Some of you approve in some degree, a godly, christian life, preach also much of Christ, of his merits, spirit, and grace, and are yourselves, manifestly those who lead a gross, sensual life, who crucify Christ anew, and grieve his spirit and dispise his grace, as may be seen.

O preachers, preachers! how aptly has the Holy Ghost likened you to dry wells and empty clouds from which no water can be obtained, and to fruitless trees from which no fruit can be taken. (2 Pet. 2.) I know not to what you may be more suitably compared, than to a woman who lives in all manner of shame and wantonness, and yet talks much about modesty, decency and virtue; should not her words be regarded as mockery? Might it not be said, why do you talk of modesty and chastity, since you, yourself are full of all manner of immodesty and shame.

We are well aware that you have in part demolished the little gods of Babylon, such as the Roman indulgences, the invocations of departed saints, unclean purification, abstaining from meats, and the like idolatry and other superstitions but the horrible blasphemy and abominations are still retained; such as accursed unbelief, the headstrong obstinacy, the earthly mind, the unscriptural infant baptism, the idolatrous supper, and the impenitent old life which is of the flesh.

Therefore, we testify with the truth and declare that you are not ambassadors of God nor teachers of Christ. For it is plain that you reject the word and ordinances of the Lord, and run of yourselves, (Jer. 8, 23; John 10; Ezek. 34,) and have pastured yourselves under the name and appearance of the evangelical shepherds of the Lord, and have led to destruction so many hundred thousand souls, through your wanton doctrine, idolatrous sacraments and carnal lives.

But the teachers who are sent of God, and who have been rightly called, teach God's word genuinely, they abide in its holy ordinances, live (after their weakness) unblamably, for they are born of God, and are taught and moved by his holy spirit, they seek neither gold, nor possessions, neither an easy life nor earthly applause-they wait upon their enjoined duties with all earnestness-they fear God from the heart, seek their neighbour with fidelity; they are armed with the weapons of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left. (Acts 3; 1 Thes. 2; Gal. 1.) They deal without respect to persons. (2 Cor. 6.) The powerful, sharp sword of the divine word cuts out of their mouth (Luke 12); it is a shining lantern in their hands; they are taught in righteousness, are full of all spiritual wisdom; (Jer. 15) they divide the good from the evil; the holy from the unholy, and the clean from the unclean. In short, they shine in doctrine and conduct, even as from the beginning till the present

time, it has been written and remarked of all true prophets, apostles and servants of God. (Matt. 5)

O dear Lord, how lovely are those pastors and teachers who seek nothing else but to extend the kingdom of God; who preach rightly the word of repentance and grace, that they may win many souls; and for this end, they expose their name, reputation, houses, property, persons and lives,

These are they, who, with Christ, the chief shepherd, gather together and feed his lambs; but the others are those who scatter and destroy them. They are prophets,-but not of Godthey preach, but not out of the Lord's mouth. They strengthen the hands of the ungodly. They destroy the souls who should have eternal life, and encourage those who must forever die ; and this they do for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. (Jer. 23; Ezek. 13.) They preach to the people peace when there is no peace. Therefore, shall they stand in shame, who follow such abominations, though they yet are not ashamed and yet forbear to blush. (Jer. 8.)

Behold, dear reader, since they so shamefully deprive Christ of his honor and gain, and scatter his sheep, (John 10,) and, with the sword of their deceiving doctrines, destroy the poor souls who are so greatly loved by the Lord-whom he so earnestly seeks for, and whom he so dearly purchased. And since they so enviously war against the word and ordinances of the Lord, we say and teach with Christ: Let them alone, they be blind, leaders of the blind. (Matt. 15.) Guard yourselves against such false prophets; for though they come in the appearance of sheep, they are nevertheless, inwardly ravening wolves. They are the strangers whose voice Christ's sheep know not. (Matt. 7; John 10.) They are those of whom Paul warns us and says: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them; for they are such as serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the heart of the simple. (Rom. 16.)

Again: John says, whoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 1.)

The word of God abundantly warns us that, we leave such and beware of them. Shun their voice and retreat from them, and that we should not take them into our houses, (as has been said.) If we are Christ's sheep and the children of the Holy Spirit; so must we even hear Christ's voice, and follow after

and obey the monitions of the Holy Ghost. Reflect how sincerely holy Paul admonished the Philippians, that they should guard themselves from the evil doer and the concision. He taught the true servants of God that they should shun those, who failed no further (as it appears) than only, that they out of zeal without knowledge, held fast to circumcision, which they had received from their fathers, and would not admit that it should be abolished through Christ. How much more earnestly it becomes us to beware of them, who have deceived the whole world, who upbraid and persecute the godly and fight against truth; of all false teachers and blasphemers of God, who urge, set up, and permit idolatrous and abominable doctrine,

OF THE CONDUCT OF PREACHERS.

As you have just heard the ground of the calling and doctrines of the preachers, we will proceed, and through the grace of God point out by the scriptures how the true apostles, bishops, teachers and pastors, in the church of Christ, should conduct themselves in their deportment and lives; for it is not enough that a man appears to speak much of the word of the Lord, but what he says must also be maintained by a devout and unblamable conduct, as the scriptures teach.

Thus says Paul: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away. (1 Cor. 9.) If it becomes the hearers and disciples to lead an unblamable life, how much more does it become teachers, because they rule the hearers and are their overseers. (Eph. 3; Phil. 2.) As Paul says: Remember them who have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. (Heb. 13.)

He also admonishes Timothy thereto, and says: Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Tim 4.) But in all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine, shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, &c. (Tit. 2.) For it is undoubtedly proper, if any one teaches and reproves others, that he first himself be rightly taught and unblamable, as Paul teaches: If a man desire the office of a bishop he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well