his natural and acquired abilities, fhould be fo weak as to turn me over to human authorities, in things of a divine nature; for though in all things that are of a temporal nature, and concern the civil fociety, I will be fubject to every ordinance ef man for the Lord's fake; even from the king upon the throne down to the meaneft officer in the land; but in things that are of a spiritual nature, and concern my faith, my worship of God, and future ftate, I would call no man father here upon earth, nor regard either popes or councils, prelates or priests of any denomination, nor convocations, nor affemblies of divines, but obey God and his prophets, Chrift and his apoftles. Upon which the judge answered, Well, if his grace of Canterbury was not able to give you fatisfaction, Mr. Elwall, I believe I fhall not; and fo fat down and refted him; for I think he had ftood up for near an hour and a quarter.

Then he stood up again, and turning to the priests talked fcftly to them. I did not hear what he said, or what they faid to him; but I guessed from what the judge faid next; for, fays he, Mr. Elwall you cannot but be fenfible that what you have writ, being contrary to the commonly received doctrines of the church, it has given offence to fome of your neighbours, and particularly to the clergy; are you willing to promife, before the face of the country here, that you will not write any

more

1

more on this head? I answered, God forbid that I fhould make thee any fuch promife; for when I wrote this book, I did it in the fear of God; and I did not write to please the church of Rome, nor the church of England, nor the church of Scotland; but to please that God who gave me my breath; and therefore, if at any time I find myfelf drawn forth to write in defence of this facred first commandment, or any other of the ten, I hope I fhall do it in the fame fpirit of fincerity as I have done this. And I perceived the judge was not in any wife, difpleafed at my honeft, plain, bold answer; but rather his heart feemed to be knit in love to me; and he foon declared me acquitted: and then the clerk of the arraigns, or affizes, stood up, and said, Mr. Elwall you are acquitted; you may go out of court when you please.

So I went away through a very great croud of people (for it was thought there was a thousand people at the trial) and having spoke long I was

a-thirst, fo went to a well and drank. Then I went out of town by a river-fide, and looking about, and feeing no one near, I kneeled down on the bank of the river, and fent up my thank-offering to that good God who had delivered me out of their hands.

By the time that I returned to the town, the court was up and gone to dinner: a juftice of peace and another perfon met me, and would have me to

eat

eat and drink with them, which I did; and afterwards, as I was walking along the ftreet fome perfons hove up a great fash-window and invited me up to them; and when I entered the room, I found ten or a dozen perfons, most of them juftices of the peace; and amongst them a priest, whom they called doctor. One of the juftices took me by the hand, and faid, Mr. Elwall, I am heartily glad to fee you, and I was glad to hear you bear your teftimony fo boldly as you did. Yes, fays another justice, and I was glad to see Mr. Elwall come off with flying colours as he did: upon which the priest faid (in a very bitter manner) He ought to have been hanged. I turned unto him, and said, Friend, I perceive thou doft not know what fpirit thou art of; for the son of man came not to destroy, but to fave: but thou wouldeft have me destroyed. Upon which one of the justices faid, How now, doctor, did not you hear one of the juftices fay, that he was an honeft man, and that what he faid was not by hear-fay, but by experience, and would you have honeft men hanged, doctor? Is this good doctrine? So that the priest faid but little more for fome time: So I took leave of the juftices, and took horfe for Wolverhampton, for I knew there would be great joy in my family, for the common people all expected to hear of my being. fined and imprifoned. But a farmer that lived near, who had been upon the jury at Stafford, got

to

up

to town before me, and the people went all and asked him, What have they done to Mr. Elwall? Have they put him in prifon? He anfwered "No, he preached there an hour together, "and our parfons could fay never a word. What "muft they put him in prifon for? I told our "foreman of the jury, Mr. Elwall was an honest

man, and his father was an honest man, I knew

"him very well." So they were all damped; but there was great joy in my family, and amongst all my friends Praises, living praises be attributed to that good God who delivered me out of their hands!

Christ never told us of that fcandalous popish invention, of his human nature praying to his divine nature; but, like a true obedient fon of God, fubmitted to death, even that cruel death which the hatred and envy of perfecuting wicked priests inflicted on him, because he had fo plainly and truly told them all of their blindness, covetoufnefs, pride, and hypocrify. And therefore God raised him from the dead; and for his faithfulness God has exalted him to be a prince and a faviour to all those that obey that pure doctrine which God gave him to teach; that denying ungodliness and finful. lufts, we should live foberly and righteously in this world. Then are we his difciples indeed, when we do thofe things that he hath commanded. Then fhall we be faved, not by the merits of Christ, that is another popish invention; for he never did any thing but

what

what it was his duty to do, and therefore could not merit any thing for others; but he taught us the true way to find acceptance with God, and that was by doing the will of his Father which is in heaven: and therein he is the way, the truth, and the life, because no one cometh unto the Father, but by

that way.

us.

Neither did he make fatisfaction unto God for

It was impoffible; and what God never required: But he who had no pleasure in the death of finners, but rather that they should turn from their wickedness and live, out of the immeasurable height and depth of his love, directed our lord Jesus Chrift to teach mankind a never-failing way of being reconciled to God; and that was by fincere repentance and reformation. This was the gospel or good tidings of Jefus Chrift, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He tells us, I am not come to call the righteous, but finners to repentance; and by that beautiful excellent parable of the prodigal fon, he illuftrates the tender mercy of his God and our God, of his Father and our Father, without any fatisfaction. The compaffionate Father required none at all, but humble confeffion and fubmiffion, with fincere repentance and reformation, and then comes the best robe, the ring, the fhoes, and the fatted calf, to demonstrate the paternal acceptance without fatisfaction or facrifice, but a broken and a contrite heart which he will never re