For my descent, it was, as is well known by many, of a low and
inconsiderable generation; my father's house being of that rank that
is meanest and most despised of all the families of the land.
Wherefore I have not, as others, to boast of noble blood and of any
high-born estate according to the flesh; though all things
considered, I magnify the heavenly Majesty for that by this door he
brought me into the world, to partake of the grace and life that is
in Christ by the gospel.
What need you, before you have showed one syllable of a reasonable
argument in opposition to what I assert, thus trample my person, my
gifts, and grace--have I any--so disdainfully under your feet,
because of my low descent among men; stigmatizing me for a person of
that rank that need not to be heeded. And what, is my rank so mean
that the most gracious and godly among you may not duly and soberly
consider what I have said? Was it not the act of the false apostles
to say thus--to bespatter a man that his doctrine might be
disregarded? "Is not this the carpenter?" and, "His bodily presence
is weak and his speech contemptible," did not use to be in the
mouths of the saints; for they knew the wind blew where it listed.
Neither is it high birth, worldly breeding, or wealth; but electing
love, grace, and the wisdom that comes from heaven, that those who
strive for strictness of order in. the things and kingdom of Christ,
should have in regard and esteem. Need I read you a lecture? Hath
not God chosen the foolish, the weak, the base, yea and even things
that are not to bring to naught things that are? Why then do you
despise my rank, my state, and quality in the world?
Since you would know by what name I would be distinguished from
others, I tell you, I would be, and I hope I am, A CHRISTIAN; and
choose, if God should count me worthy, to be called A CHRISTIAN, A
BELIEVER, or other such name which is approved by the Holy Ghost.
Your artificial, squibbling suggestions to the world about myself,
my imprisonment, and the like, I freely bind unto me as an ornament
among the rest of my reproaches, till the Lord shall wipe them off
at his coming.
Faith and holiness are my professed principles, with an endeavor, so
far as in me lieth, to be at peace with all men. What shall I say?
Let mine enemies themselves be judges, if any thing in these
following doctrines, or if aught that any man hath heard me preach,
doth or hath, according to the true intent of my words, savored
either of heresy or rebellion. I say again, let them themselves be
judges, if aught they find in my writing or preaching doth render me
worthy of almost twelve years' imprisonment, or one that deserveth
to be hanged or banished for ever, according to their tremendous
sentence. Indeed my principles are such as lead me to a denial to
communicate in the things of the kingdom of Christ with the ungodly
and open profane; neither can I consent that my soul should be
governed in any of my approaches to God by the superstitious
inventions of this world, because commanded to the contrary, or
commended for so refusing. Wherefore, excepting in this one
thing--for which I ought not to be rebuked--I shall, I trust, in
despite of slandor and falsehood, discover myself at all times a
peaceable anl obedient subject. But if nothing will do, unless I
make my conscience a continual butchery or slaughter-shop--unless,
putting out mine own eyes, I commit myself to the blind to lead me,
as I doubt not is desired by some--I have determined, the Almighty
God being my help and shield, yet to suffer, if frail life might
continue so long, even till the moss shall grow on mine eyebrows,
rather than thus to violate my faith and principles.
To the reader. I marvel not that both yourself and others do think
my long imprisonment strange--or rather strangely of me for the sake
of that--for verily I should also have done it myself, had not the
Holy Ghost long since forbidden me. 1 Pet. 4: 12; 1 John, 3: 13.
Nay, verily, notwithstanding that, had the adversary but fastened
the supposition of guilt upon me, my long trials might by this time
have put it beyond dispute; for I have not hitherto been so sordid,
as to stand to a doctrine right or wrong; much less, when so weighty
an argument as above eleven years' imprisonment is continually
dogging of me to weigh and pause and weigh again the grounds and
foundation of those principles for which I thus have suffered. But
having not only at my trial asserted them, but also since--even all
this tedious tract of time, in cool blood, a thousand times--by the
word of God examined them, and found them good, I cannot, I dare not
now revolt or deny the same, on pain of eternal damnation.