to the high court of parliament. a dilemma, from a parallel. humbly presented. published according to order. 1646 approx. 23 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a83525 wing e237a thomason e341_10 estc r200905 99861526 99861526 113663 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a83525) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 113663) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 55:e341[10]) to the high court of parliament. a dilemma, from a parallel. humbly presented. published according to order. edwards, thomas, 1599-1647, england and wales. sovereign (1625-1649 : charles i). [12] p. printed by matthew simmons for henry overton, and are to be sold at his shop in popes-head alley, london, : 1646. wing attributes this to thomas edwards. printed in two columns. the left contains selections from edwards' "gangræna"; the right, selections from various documents by charles i. the anonymous author of the postscript uses the parallel to criticize edwards. signatures: a⁴ b² . annotation on thomason copy: "june 22th". reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng edwards, thomas, 1599-1647. -gangraena. christian sects -england -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century. 2007-03 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-04 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-05 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the high court of parliament . a dilemma , from a parallel . humbly presented . 2 tim . 3. 1. perillous times shall come ; for men shall be , &c. multi christum osculantur , pauci amant . bucocl . published according to order . london , printed by matthew simmons for henry overton , and are to be sold at his shop in popes-head alley , 1646. the parallel . gangraena playes rex . ( 2 d par . cor. 4. p. 201. ) for a conclusion of this corallory , o that any particular members of parliament who are for pretended liberty of conscience , a toleration of sects , favourers of sectaries , and out of those principles hinder all they can the setling of religion and government by civill sanction , would often and sadly meditate upon this scripture , and be wise now ( whilest there 's time ) thus to serve the lord , lest suddenly , when they least thinke of it , they perish from the way , and god make them examples , for adhering so pertinaciously to the sectaries , and that party . they may read in ecclesiasticall stories , what hath befallen princes for not serving the lord in feare , and kissing his sonne ; and they see before their eyes the many evills that hath befallen the king , and the great straights to which he hath been reduced for favouring too much the popish , and prelaticall party against the mind and humble desires of both his kingdomes : and can particular persons think ( who are not kings , but under that title of judges ) that they can prosper long in standing for a sectarian faction against the mind of both kingdomes , and that the kingdomes will not see and desire to understand how it comes about ? and by whose meanes it is , that we having taken a covenant for uniformity in doctrine , government , &c. and for extirpating of heresie , schisme , and the parliament , having declared in some declarations and remonstrances against anabaptists , brownists , preaching of men not ordained , and against leaving particular persons and congregations to their owne liberty ; that yet all things should be done quite contrary , with an high hand ? for may not now who ever will both preach and gather separated churches , print and act against presbyteriall government , and for all sorts of sectaries ? yea , such persons are countenanced , preferred in all places , and to all kinds of offices and imployments ( which makes many turne independents , ) and the most zealous cordiall men against sectaries are displaced , or discountenanced , or obstructed , &c. these things doe seeme strange and against all reason , that the parliament , professing and declaring one thing , yet the quite contrary in all things of this nature should be done daily in citie and country . in the worst times , when the king was most misled by the counsels of prelates and evill men about him , there were not actions more contrary in many ministers of state and other persons to proclamations and declarations , then are now to ordinances , declarations , and votes of parliament ; and yet wee heare of few censured or made examples . now the people every where say , these things could not be , persons durst be thus bold to do these things but that they know they have some great ones to backe them , and stand by them ; and the people enquire after , and speake who they be , and questionlesse will represent these things as unsufferable , and most dishonourable to the parliament , and they will humbly desire these things may bee remedied by the power and wisdome of the parliament : and therefore o that all such would be wise in time , be wise now , desert the sectaries , further the worke so much the more as before they have hindred it , for there is an emphasis and weight in that adverb now , signifying they should do it speedily , because the same opportunitie will not be alwayes given , and the psalmist hints they may yet do it profitably , if they make hast ; but if any do persist and go on , working day and night , rolling every stone to uphold that party , he that strikes through kings in the day of his wrath , will not spare them , and they shall finde by sad experience : when his wrath is kindled but a little , blessed are all they that put their trust in him . in the kings declaration concerning the militia . we have been told that we must not be jealous of our great counsell of both houses of parliament . wee are not , — but of some turbulent , seditious , and ambitious natures , which ( being not so cleerly discerned ) may have an influence upon the actions of both houses . in the kings answer to the decla : of the lords and com : of the 19 of may , 1642. and we call almighty god to witnesse , all our complaints and jealousies , which have never been causless , nor of our houses of parliament : ( but of some few schismaticall , factious , and ambitious spirits , — in the kings answ : to the 19 propositions . wee would not be understood , that we intend to fix this designe upon both or either houses of parliament , wee utterly professe against it , — but we do beleeve , & accordingly professe to all the world , that the malignity of this design — hath proceeded from the subtil informations , mischievous practices , and evill counsels of ambitious turbulent spirits , disaffected to gods true religion , and the unity of the professors thereof . in the kings answ : to the 19 propositions . but that without any shadow of a fault objected , onely perhaps because they follow their conscience , and preserve the established lawes , and agree not in such votes , or assent not to such bills , as some persons , who have now too great an influence even upon both houses , judge or seeme to judge to be for the publick good , and as are agreeable to that utopia of religion and government , into which they endeavour to transforme this kingdome . in the kings declar : of aug. 2. 1642. we well know the combination entred into by severall persons for an alteration in the government of the church — and observed that those men had greatest interest , and power of perswading of both houses , who had entred into such combination , yet — we beleeved , even those men would either have been converted in their consciences , by the cleernesse and justnesse of our actions , or would have appeared so unseasonable , or been discovered so seditious , that their malice and fury would not have been able to have done mischiefe ; [ afterward ] when such licence is given to brownists , anabaptists , sectaries , and whilst coach-men , feltmakers , and such mechanick persons are allowed and entertained to preach by those who thinke themselves the principall members of either house ; when such barbarous outrages in churches , and heathenish irreverence and uproares even in the time of divine service , and the administration of the blessed meanes of advancing religion , the preaching of the word of god , is turned into a licence of libelling , and reviling both church and state , and venting such seditious positions , as by the lawes of the land are no lesse then treason , and scarce a man in reputation and credit with these grand reformers , who is not notoriously guilty of this , whil'st those learned , reverend , painfull , and pious preachers , who have been and are the most eminent and able assertours of protestant religion , are ( to the unspeakable joy of the adversaries to our religion ) disregarded and oppressed . in the kings answer to the declar : of the lords and com : of the 21 of june , 1642. this all men are bound to beleeve , though they see the protestant religion , and the professors thereof miserably reproached , and in danger of being destroyed by a vitious and malignant party of brownists , anabaptists , and other sectaries , ( the principall ring-leaders of whom , have too great a power , even with some members in both our houses of parliament ) our authority despised , and as much as in them lies , taken from us , and reviled in pulpits and presses by persons immediately in their protection , and recommendation . in the kings answer to the declaration of the lor : and com : of 19 of may , 1642. what a strange time are we in , that a few impudent malicious ( to give them no worse terme ) men should cast such a strange mist of errour before the eyes of both houses of parliament , as that they either cannot , or will not see how manifestly they injure themselves , by maintaining these visible untruths ? in the kings declar : of august . 12. 1642. we were able to discover that — there was , still a faction of a few ambitious , discontented and seditious persons , who under pretence of being enemies to arbitrary power , and of compassion towards those , who out of tendernesse of conscience could not submit to some things enjoyned , or commended in the government of the church , had in truth a desire ( and had entred into a combination to that purpose ) to alter the government both of church and state. the former declaration begins thus . t is more then time now after so many injuries and indignities offered to our royall person — to vindicate our selfe from those wicked and damnable combinations and conspiracies which the implacable malice and insatiable ambition of some persons have contrived against us . in the conclusion of that declaration . our quarrell is not against the parliament , but against particular men , who first made the wounds , and will not now suffer them to be healed , but make them deeper , and wider , by contriving , fostering , and fomenting mistakes and jealousies betwixt body and head , us and our two houses of parliament ; whom we name , and are ready to prove them guilty of high treason . wee desire that the lord kimbolton , m r hollis , m r pim , m r hampden , sir arthur haslerigge , m r stroud , m r martin , sir henry ludlow , alderman pennington , and capt. venne , may be delivered into the hands of justice to be tryed by their peeres , according to the knowne lawes of the land. in the kings answer to the declaration of the 26 of may , 1642. but wee doubt not all our good subjects doe now plainly discerne through the maske and vizard of their hypocrisie , what their designe is , and will no more looke upon the framers , and contrivers of that declaration , as upon both houses of parliament ; ( whose freedome and just priviledges wee will alwayes maintaine , and in whose behalfe wee are as much slandred as for our selfe ) but so a faction of malignant , schismaticall , and ambitious persons , whose designe is and alwayes hath been to alter the whole frame of government , both of church & state , & to subject both king and people to their own lawless arbitrary power & government . in the kings answer to the declaration of the lords and com : of 26 of may 1642. for the contrivers of that declaration , ( though they have no minde to be slaves ) they are not unwilling to be tyrants : ( what is tyranny , but to admit no rule to governe by but their own wills ? ) and we know the misery of athens was at the highest , when it suffered under the thirty tyrants . from the foregoing parallel , ariseth the dilemma : that either the high court of parliament is chargeable with obstinacy and hypocrisie against god and the publick good : ( a thing horrid to apprehend ) or , the author of the pamphlet fore-mentioned , is as guilty of the breach of parliamentary priviledge , and sedition against the kingdome , as the contrivers of the kings papers have been by the parliament declared to be . to the lords and commons assembled in parliament ; a postscript . now the adversary of yours and this kingdomes welfare ( right honourable ) sees he cannot keep the field against you any longer , he findes it best to recruit himselfe , by working his broken swords into pen-knives , and betake himselfe to his study . he remembers how keen the royal stile was , and how neare it came to the heart of the parliament ; when he expressed greatest confidence in the parliament , and onely struck at some particular members ; thus in answer to your declaration of the 19 of may , 1642. we shall never [ and we hope our people will never ] account the contrivance of a few factious , seditious persons , ( a malignant partie who would consecrate the common-wealth to their owne fury and ambition ) the wisdome of parliamen . the honourable house of commons in their late famous declaration , of the 17. of aprill , have discovered that there are still the same spirits stirring , and humours working though under other disguises and upon other grounds . since this discovery , these spirits doe not blush to proceed according to the first beginnings , and to reflect the like crimes on the parliament , under the persons of some particular members , and this done by men professing great zeale for you , and that now after you have almost brought this kingdome ( by the good hand of god upon you ) to feast upon the remembrance of the fore-passed gall and wormewood , and to satiate it selfe with the fat of securitie , truth and peace . but ( as solomon speaks ) a foole is never so troublesome as when he is filled with meat ; even so now , ingratitude hath taken the ballance into her hand , and fancy sits upon the beame , and judgeth that the talents of precious mercies which by you ( noble senatours ) we enjoy , are light in respect of some still wanting : neither can all you have done be pawne enough of adding them hereafter ; no nor any thing you can say though never so solemnly , and therefore cannot obtaine the credit , much lesse the obedience : as to have your declaration in that kind published ; and because they despaire in a way of duty to obtaine their desires , have now borrowed the pen of insolency out of the hands of malignity , and as these formerly stiled you rebels , traitors , schismatiques , &c. and another party acted to a frenzie of zeale , wrote you , antichristian , popish , tyrannous : so these here spoken of expresse themselves of you , as fautors of errour , sectaries , anarchy , intolerable toleration : unlesse you put life into , and take it from what they point you to . now this sheet of paper hath humbly presented to your honours , the designe and language of these in parallel with the former , aspersing the honour and enervating the authority of parliament under the notion of accusing some particular members ; and that done with expressions so high and dangerous , whether respect be had to the consciences of the people over awed , or to the safety of the state at this time , especially , thereby imperilled : that hence there seemes naturally to issue ( by your wisdomes to be considered ) the fore-mentioned dilemma . for though he lay it on some members onely , and grants that the parliament hath ordained , &c. yet whilest he addes , that all things are carried with a high hand contrary , and persons dangerous to church and state , sectaries , &c. countenanced , and preferred in all places and to all kind of offices , and that the parliament professeth one thing , yet the quite contrary in all things , in citie and country , seeing this could not be done but by the authority or connivence of the parliament , what doth he but plainly insinuate what before he labour'd covertly to hide ? that this is the authors true meaning , you may please to reflect on his epistle before the first part of his gangraena to both houses of the parliament ; particularly , in the fift page , where what he here chargeth upon particular members , he there layes upon both houses , as in these words ; you have most noble senatours done worthily against papists , prelates , scandalous ministers , images , altars , crucifixes , ceremonies , &c. but what have you done against other kinds of growing evills , heresie , schisme , disorder , seekers , anabaptists , antinomians , brownists , libertines , and other sects ? in the seventh page thus . now right honourable , though you have made ordinances against anabaptists , brownists , other sects , &c. and upon complaint have troubled some sectaries , &c. yet notwithstanding there is a strange and unheard of bearing with them , as i beleeve all things considered never was the like under any orthodox , christian magistrate and state ; p. 9. yet i doe not say your honours have done these things , for there are matters of this nature you heare not of : and upon complaints that have come immediately to your houses , there hath been some redresse ; yet such things are done by committees , or persons under your power and government , and no effectuall wayes taken to prevent , discover or remedy these things . now i humbly submit to your deep judgement , whether god account not men guilty of that which is committed by others under them . [ nay to take off all scruple touching his meaning , his next words fasten the charge upon your selves ] as also whether it will not be interpreted by men , that there is certainly great countenance and favour above , or else persons below durst not doe as they doe . so page 10. reformed churches abroad say , why may not the king as lawfully tolerate papists one false religion , as the parliament suffer all sects to grow ? and lastly , page 11. know god is a righteous god , and will require it at your hands , visit and be avenged for these things . let no man flatter you with your great prosperity and successe , &c. where the very charge and threatning that he denounces in his second part against some particular members , is charged upon both houses joyntly . and why now he should endeavour to cast that odium upon particular members which he before charged upon the whole , ( though this also fall upon the whole ) the reason may be to make the designe at once both more dangerous and more feeble ; for whil'st it was in generall the reverence of so great a court might justly awe the people , whereas now some particulars being singled out , he might with more colour and possibility excite , and stir up the people to appeare against them . now for this to be done not by any considerable number of men by way of humble petition , upon indispensable necessity , but by a private person , and that not in a petition first presented unto you , that your wisdomes might have judged whether it were fit for publike view , but in a book written purposely for the branding of sectaries , hereticks , and the worst of men ; and that without sufficient proofe in a thing of so high a nature . there seems necessarily to arise from hence the double evill expressed in the latter member of the argument , viz. an unlawfull breach of parliamentary priviledge ; and a most perilous introduction to the ruine of the parliament it selfe by raising the people to sedition against it . for as the king upon the like distinction of some members from the rest , demanded six of your honourable members to justice , as a prologue to the tragedy . if now the people should by such a pestilent booke , be alarm'd on groundlesse misprisions to declare against certaine of your members as insufferable in their practises ; though under notion of petitioning against them , it may be doubted whether afterward first six , and then sixteen , and after that sixty shall not be demanded , yet with pretence held out before the people of all honour and obedience to the parliament . the lord , whose work you doe , teach your understandings , comfort your hearts , strengthen your hands , and cover your heads in this day of battaile . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a83525-e1920 the proofe of the result of the dilemma from the premises . wine for gospel wantons, or, cautions against spirituall drunkenness being the brief notes of a sermon preached at cambridge in new-england, upon a day of publick fasting and prayer throughout the colony / by that reverend servant of the lord, mr. thomas shepard, deceased. shepard, thomas, 1605-1649. 1668 approx. 30 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-07 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a59696 wing s3150 estc r38169 17199903 ocm 17199903 106199 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a59696) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 106199) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1622:17) wine for gospel wantons, or, cautions against spirituall drunkenness being the brief notes of a sermon preached at cambridge in new-england, upon a day of publick fasting and prayer throughout the colony / by that reverend servant of the lord, mr. thomas shepard, deceased. shepard, thomas, 1605-1649. 15 p. [s.n.], cambridge [mass.] printed : 1668. imperfect: pages stained and torn, with some loss of print. reproduction of original in harvard university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng christian sects -massachusetts -controversial literature. religious tolerance -massachusetts -sermons. sermons, american. 2003-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-03 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-04 john latta sampled and proofread 2003-04 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-06 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion wine for gospel wantons : or , cautions against spirituall drunkenness . being the brief notes of a sermon preached at cambridge in new-england , upon a day of publick fasti●● and prayer throughout the colony , iune 25. 1645. in reference to the sad estate of the lords people in england . by that reverend servant of the lord , mr. thomas shepard deceased sometimes the pastor of the church of christ there . jer. 7.12 . but go you now to my place which was in shiloh , whe●● i set my name at the first , and see what i did to it for t●● wickednesse of my p●●●le israel . 〈…〉 yet let no man strive nor reprove another : for 〈…〉 they that strive with the priest. ●●●●imatur . charles chauncy . iohn sherman . 〈◊〉 in the year 1668. wine for gospel wantons . jerem. 13. 12 , 13. therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word , thus saith the lord god of israel , every bottle shall be filled with wine : and they shall say unto thee , do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine ? ver. 13. then shalt thou say unto them , thus saith the lord , behold , i will fill all the inhabitants of this land , even the kings that sit upon davids throne , and the priests , and the prophets , and all the inhabitants of ierusalem with drunkenness . this chapter contains a prophesie of the captivity of gods church in babylon ; which is set down ( to take the deeper impression on their hearts ) first , under the type of a girdle , which is taken from the loins of the prophet , and put into an hole of the rock near euphrates , which did lick the banks of babel , which after a time was so marred , that it was good for nothing : so will i marre the glory , and the great pride of ierusalem . when a people will not be vile in their own eyes , god hath a time to make them vile : when they will not be the glory and praise of god , they shall be the filth and shame of the world . secondly , under sundry similitudes : the first is in these verses ; where note two things : 1. the similitude it self ; wherein he compares them to bottles , wherein wine was wont to be put : which is set down ( 1. ) in a plain affirmation of the thing , from gods command [ every bottle shall be filled with wine ] this he was to preach , and testifie . ( 2. ) from their ignorant and disdainful receiving of this message from god ; q. d. who knows not that ? what great matter is that ? what do you publish and press us to believe that ? we know that every bottle shall . now the lord had caught them , and made them yield thus far , he comes in upon them with the second thing , viz. the explication of the similitude . similitudes prove nothing , but when god applies them , then there 's proof enough . briefly , a little to open the meaning of the text. by every bottle , is meant all the inhabitants of the land , and more particularly , the kings , and the priests , and the prophets . by wine , is meant that spirit of drunkenness wherewith the lord will fill them : and by filling of the vessels , is meant they shall be full of drunkenness : and by bottles , is meant their weak condition ; for they thought themselves vessels of honour , that could withstand the dint of any stroke : but saith the lord , i will dash you one against another : i will do it , saith the lord , by filling them with a spirit of drunkenness ; and the manner how , is by dashing them one against another : i will break all relations asunder , and will not pity , nor spare , but destroy . it would take much time to open all these particularly . we shall onely speak concerning one particular ; viz. what is meant by a spirit of drunkenness : sometimes it is taken for the drunkenness of mens bodies ; sometimes for the soul-calamities that men are under , in such wise that they know not what to do : lam. 3.15 . he hath made me drunken with wormwood ; that is , with sore and bitter afflictions . sometimes it is taken for a spiritual judgement on the souls of men , which is a sin ; and not so much a misery , unless it be a spiritual misery , when the lord doth give men up unto a reprobate sense ; and so it is often taken in scripture , isa : 29.9 , 10. they are drunken , but not with wine nor strong drink ; for the lord hath poured out upon them a spirit of deep sleep . the calamity of the people here is expressed in those words , in being dashed one against another , but now drunkenness it goeth before , as that which prepareth for this misery : saith the lord , i will fill all the inhabitants of the land with a spirit of drunkenness , untill i have destroyed them every one . from hence observe , doct. that spiritual drunkenness , it is a certain fore-runner of destruction merciless unto a people . i will shew them no pity , nor spare them , but destroy them , saith the lord : that look as it was with belshazzar , he had been drinking over-night , and the same night the hand-writing of the lord comes out against against : nahum 1.10 . while they are drunken as drunkards , they shall be devoured as stubble . for the explication of the point , i shall shew you , 1. what are the causes of this spiritual drunkenness . 2. by what effects it doth manifest it self . 3. when it is a sign of destruction . 4. i shall give you the reasons why it is so . first , what are the causes of this spiritual drunkenness . look as it is with bodily drunkenness , it ariseth from inordinate drinking of wine or strong drink : so this drunkenness , it ariseth from drinking in those things which are the causes thereof : which are principally these two : 1. when the wills and affections of men do inordinately drink in the pleasures of sin , and of those things that their hearts should be weaned from , and that should in comparison of better things , be bitter to them ; when men shall give themselves up to this . thus ye shall finde in this sense the prophet calls the kings and the priests and the people , the drunkards of ephraim , such as did fill and satiate themselves with sins , and the lusts of their own hearts . it is a fearfull judgement of god , when the lord shall give men their contentment in this way . ier. 25. ye shall reade there of a cup that the lord gives , and it must go round , and be put into the hand of all nations . many times the case is thus with many sinners whom the lord intends to destroy , they have many sad fears ; now the lord in his just judgement he puts his cup into their hands , and bids them take their pleasure in their sins , and so by this means they come to be hardned against the fear of death and judgement , yea of those very judgements which are at their very doors . 2. when the minde and judgement of man drinks in the 〈…〉 any delusion , or corrupt counsel , this 〈◊〉 from the 〈…〉 god 's just hand , 2 thess. 2.11 , 12. corrupt doctrines , these make men drunk in the very understanding of men . rev. 17.6 . when antichrist doth corrupt the judgements of men with false doctrine , it is called the cup of the wine of fornication : by drinking these in , the minde it is made drunk . the second particular to be opened , is those effects by which this spirit of drunkenness doth appear and manifest it self . drunkenness appears in staggering and reeling ; so this spiritual drunkenness appears , 1. in a spirit of unstedfastness and unsetledness , both in holy resolutions in matters of faith , and opinions in matters of judgement . in faith : there is no hold of men , but unsetled and unstedfast in doctrine , and in matters of practise , isai. 29.9 . they are drunken but not with wine , they stagger , but not with strong drink , when mens hearts are grown unstedfast : and for this the lord he professeth that he will never forgive this sin until they come to confess it in particular : when men shall walk at peradventures in matters of religion , and do so stagger that the lord knows not where to finde them but as waves of the sea : it is true , there is a staggering that ariseth from weakness , as a childe may , and of that i speak not ; but now when men shall stagger being drunk with their lusts , this is that spirit of drunkenness which goes before ruine . drunkenness takes away the use of reason ; and so this . 2. it manifests it self , in a spirit of sottishness and blindness , which the lord in his just judgement inflicts upon men for not receiving the truth in the love of it . isai. 29. the lord hath powred out upon them a spirit of deep sleep , the wisdom of your wise men shall perish , and the understanding of your prudent men shall be hid saith the lord. isai. 28.7 . but they have erred through wine and strong drink , they erre in vision , and stumble in judgement . look as it is with drunken men , though their reason be not taken away , yet the use of their reason is gone from them , it befools them , and makes them sottish , giddy , and stupifies their understandings and sences . isai. 19.14 . the lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the middest thereof : now reason will not move men , they can go against common sence and reason : thus when the lord gives men up to a spirit of delusion , it is a spirit of drunkenness . 3. it manifests it self in a spirit of rage 〈…〉 against another , especially when there is no reason for it 〈…〉 lord shall give men up to a spirit of rage , and division , an 〈…〉 , and the lord leaves men here , even his own dear people that shall one day meet in heaven , no means , no friends can perswade them to agree , but they are given up of god unto a spirit of wrangling and contention ; this is that which goes before the calamity of a people , mica . 7.4 . the best of them is a briar , the most upright of them is a thorn hedge , the day of thy watchmen and visitation cometh , now shall be their perplexity . look as you see it is often with drunken men , no counsels can perswade them to be quiet , unless that you use violence , and they are very much gone then , when men are in a wrangling condition ; so nabal in his drunkenness : no counsel can be heard , they think themselves wiser then others , though they be in their drunken fits , and deluded frames , unless the lord by some strong hand do bring them down . 4. when the lord doth leave men unto a spirit of deep sleep and security ; when the lord doth give men over to such security as is a kinde of dead sleep , when the lord doth leave men to such a sleep as that no awakening providences of the lord can awaken them : and thus ye shall find it in sundry places , ier. 51.39 . i will bring them , saith the lord , to such a dead sleep , that when the plagues of god are upon them , they shall never awaken . 5. a spirit of drunkenness appears in this , in that it causeth men for to open their secrets , their nakedness and shame , as noah ; when god doth leave a people for to manifest hidden sins , that were hidden before ; isai. 28.8 . all their tables are full of drunkenness , so that there is no place clean : so that mark now , when the lord doth leave men unto such a spirit of vnstedfastness in the truth ; a spirit of sottishness and blindness ; a spirit of rage and fierceness , a spirit of deep sleep and security , that now they manifest their secret wickedness like sodom ; i say , when god leaves men to such a spirit as this is , then it is a forerunner of destruction . thirdly only here is the question , when is it thus , for every spirit of drunkenness is not a forerunner of destruction ? i shall answer this briefly in three things , from the text . 1. when the lord doth fill all the inhabitants of jerusalem , for the body of them , though some particulars it may be otherwise with them . 2. when god fills men with this ; men may be drunk , but yet there may be some room for some wholesome counsel ; but now when men shall be filled full with their delusions , that there is no room for wholesome counsel , that they are uncapable of receiving the counsels of peace and truth . 3. when the lord doth give men over to this as to a judgement , when the lord gives men over to a spirit of delusion , so as that the means which should do them good , it makes them worse ; when men are in the middest of contention , and the means for their peace makes them more unquiet ; when the word of god that should awaken men , it makes them more secure , and the judgements of god abroad in the world harden them the more . now in the fourth place i shall give you the reasons why it is thus , that the spirit of drunkenness is a forerunner of destruction merciless . reas. 1. because now a man is immediately disposed unto all wickedness ; he is filling up his measure very fast . reas. 2. because when the lord giveth men over to a spirit of drunkenness , they cannot now understand the cause of their ruine : they are now besotted , and blinded , the plague of the lord upon them is not removed , nor they know not the cause of it . reas. 3. this spirit of drunkenness it brings division among a people , and this is a forerunner of all misery : ye need not now to doubt of a fire , for it is begun already . vse . 1. hence learn , when you see any nation , churches or people , given over to a spirit of drunkenness , to bemoan and bewaile their condition bitterly ; for they have the tokens of certain ruine upon them . and for this end let us take a little paines to consider the state of gods people at this day in england : let us see whether the cup of this wine is not given to the godly party there : there is no doubt of it to the wicked , but that it is now for the godly part , let us examine it in three things . first ▪ hath not the lord given them up to a spirit of blindness in matters of doctrine ? i will not mention the thousands of persons doubting and staggering , and unsetled souls , not knowing what to do , nor what side to take ; and abundance among them , that any religion will serve their turn , so long as their stakes may be setled , and may be in peace and quiet . 1. some there be that are antinomians , that do deny the use of the law to any that are in christ , to be any rule of life to them : such are not under the law , but under grace . and hence it follows , they will not take any comfort of their good estate , from any conformity of their hearts to the law of god , nor from any law of god written in their hearts ; for what have they to do with the law ? for they are under grace , and they look to grace onely : and in truth are become patrons of free vice , under the mask of free-grace . and hence not being under the law , and having nothing to do with it , their consciences have their liberty , and they will not take any discomfort from any sin against the law of god , or rule broken ; for if not under the law , there is no sin , and why should there be sorrow for any sin ? and these sort do now abound there . you know they are the very things that did leaven this poor country , for which the wrath of god hath broken out against the patrons of it . these very delusions they have now their elbow-room to spread there , and they spread far and wide . 2. others are anabaptists , and there is such swarms of them , that they are like the locusts , they begin to eat up all the green grass in the land : multitudes there be that are carried aside with them , whom though in former times they had other marks whereby they were known , yet now in these dayes they profess that they hold but one thing differing from the godly orthodox , viz. that they would not have any children to be baptized : and so they make the condition of the children of the saints of god , ( dear to god ) in as miserable an estate , as the children of any turk or pagan , and but as lawful to baptize them , as a cat or a dog : now though they say they hold but this one thing , yet it is impossible that they should hold this , but there will be fourty others that will follow upon it : as now , they must of necessity hold , that the baptism of all the churches of god , is no baptism ; and therefore must be done over again . and again , as they hold churches are made by baptism , then if there be no new baptism , there is no true churches , and then no true administration of any ordinances of the lord , but they are all abominations in the sight of god : and what that reacheth unto , let wise men judge . and if they deny the seal , they must deny the covenant of grace to infants , and so by consequence do undermine all hopes of posterity for time to come . this , where-ever it hath come , it hath been a troubler . 3. others are rigid separatists , that refuse to hear an holy minister preach , or to communicate in their assemblies , because not altogether purified according to the purification of the sanctuary ; hence forsaking christ and his servants , before christ forsake them : their whole course full of confusion and scandal ; either edifying themselves by their own gifts onely , or chusing unlearned ministers , abhorred in bishops : challenging a licentious liberty to speak , and rule , and do , and not be ruled . 4. some are seekers ; they deny all churches : some that be risen up of late , that think there be no churches , nor no ministers , nor ordinances of god in any place of the world , but they are in a seeking , waiting condition , for apostles to be sent to make a reformation : and this spreads very far . 5. there be others that think the soul of man is mortal , and dies with the body ; they print this , and speak thus , and many are deceived by them : others think that they are both mortal , and that there is no resurrection . 6. others there be that would give liberty and toleration to all religions ; their colour is this , no man should be punished for his conscience : and it is wonderful to think how this doth dazle the eyes of many men , which for my own part , as i believe any other truth of god , i do believe and judge it to be the foundation of all other errours and abominations in the churches of god , if it once be attended among any people of god. it is a sad thing , that that which was accounted of as the heavy plague of god among the people of israel , in the latter end of the book of iudges , that every man did that which was right in his own eyes , that it should now be accounted of as a blessed way of god ; which indeed is the heaviest judgement of god upon a people or nation . now is not here matter of mourning to god for poor england , that is left to be full of these delusions ? if the lord love his people , he will bring them very low , and stock them , and whip them , till he make their spirits sober and humble ; or else mark what i say , englands misery is near at hand . secondly , see if the lord hath not left them to a spirit of division , and they increase every year more and more , worse and worse . in former times the people of god , when the wolf hath been abroad , they have been glad to be of one minde : but now , when god himself is come with a drawn sword , and stands at the door , that now there should be such a division , me-thinks this should be the sobriety of the people of god : there is gods hand on the one side very dreadful , and gods mercy on the other side working all for them ; i say , this should be their sobriety , now to lye down and mourn at the feet of the lord. humiliation and praise should now be the work of gods people in england : but how is it , the lord hath filled all the inhabitants of the land with a spirit of drunkenness ? sermon against sermon , reviling one another ; head against body : go into the camps , whom can they trust ? religion it is the occasion of the breach of peace , and look into the parliament , upper house against lower house , and many pretended friends , but secret enemies , and by means hereof the enemy is encouraged , religion it is scoffed at : and what religion would ye have men to hold unto ? many godly people they are discouraged , and gods servants desiring to say nothing , but rather to lye hid , and mourn for their own sins , and the sins of the people there . and let me say this , and you will finde it is certain , at this very day the principal strength of the land , are such as be seeming friends to the parliament , but secret enemies to the truth , and ordinances , and people of god , and his wayes , and deadly ones too . lastly , the deep security of england under the sins that are now laid open . i will tell you what is their complaint still . their words be these : one especially , that in former times did publish as glorious works as any in that kingdome ; saith he , i would i could speak it with tears , never more talking of reformation , but never less practice of reformation ; our churches are reformed , but our hearts and houses never less reformed ; our high altars are pulled down , but our high mindes are not brought down ; the worship of god is more pure , but the worshippers as impure as ever ; we have less idolatries , but more adulteries and fornications ; i do not say more punishment , but never less punished , and more committed . is there a law against scandalous ministers , and none against scandalous lords and great ones ? men are not ashamed to profess their adulteries before the face of the sun. we never lived in such dayes , wherein there is more judging of others , and less of our selves . never more sad dayes in england , and yet never such pride in apparel ; never such formality in gods worship , never such murmuring , never such censuring : never more talk of reformation , never less reformed ▪ never more security , then when the ship is a sinking ; never times wherein fewer converted ▪ and the power of godliness more decayed , and sin abounding ; never more controversies how churches should be gathered , never fewer added to the church then in these times ; never such controversies how the churches should be governed , and yet never less care of the government of christ in our own houses and hearts . godly men have not leisure to study faith , and repentance , and brokenness for sin . i speak it for this end , that the lord may affect our hearts with the estate of england ; for this is some hope , that though they be thus , yet they are not all yet filled , but there is some room left for counsell , habak . 2.5 . bend your prayers against some persons , though you know them not , that make others to be drunk ; give the lord no rest untill he make them examples to the world , rather then the poor church of god should be made drunk , and being made drunk , should dash one against another . vse 2. let it be a use of warning to us all , to take heed of such sins for which the lord may give us over to a spirit of drunkenness . the time is come , and it is the lords great work at this day in the world , to give all the world this same cup , as the just and heavy judgement of god upon men , for the contempt of the gospel of peace ; and therefore is distraction and confusions in all that men do . most men in the world have seen an end of the perfection of all gods ordinances and gospel , and they begin to grow stale things to them ; therefore will the lord put his cup into your hands , and every bottle shall be filled with wine , unless it be that number which the lord doth preserve in his great mercy . this is the misery , when once the lord leaves any man to a spirit of drunkenness , misery shall be at his door certainly coming upon him , and he shall not know it . many inquiries are among us , what is the cause of the lords hand against us , dashing our ships in pieces , that the lord should break us in our infancy , and tell us that he is gone in part , and that he is taking away some of our precious ones from us ? would you know the cause of this ? you will never know it , untill the lord do take away this drunken distemper from us : so long as we are not kept sober in the love of the truth , we shall never know the true reason why the lord is thus angry with us . we cannot say the lord hath filled all the inhabitants of the land with drunkenness , but yet the cup is given us in part : the head it doth begin to stagger in a great measure ; do we not see great staggering ? unsetledness in the covenant of god , walking with god at peradventures , and such hankerings after the whoredomes of the world at this day : and so likewise divisions and distractions ; little done , and time spent , and the country burthened with charge ; nothing done without much division and contention . certainly something is amiss , every thing threatens some sudden blow to new-england ; yet blessed be the lord he hath not filled every one with a spirit of drunkenness . but let it be the last motive to think of what i speak , that the lord should bring us hither , and give us peace in church and common-wealth , and in all our colonies ; let us look upon it as a rare and singular mercy of the lord , that the lord hath kept us here in peace , and saved us from being poisoned with the delusions in the world . you will say ; how shall we be preserved from this spirit of drunkenness ? here are many things that i should have spoken : but only think of this ; hath not the lord given us other things , and better things to take delight in : the lord hath given us his blessed scriptures to solace our selves in , we had else been like herds of beasts going to the slaughter ? and we have iehovah himself to go unto at any time ; an infinite god we have to go unto . but that ●e may be preserved from this spirit of delusion , for help herein , i shall only name these particulars . 1. take heed of drunken company : i would not have a godly man to go into the company of an erroneous person : his words are infectious . 2. let gods people take heed of being deceived by meer colours and pretences of things ; as now upon the colour of free-grace , they bring in free-vice , and under the colour of liberty of conscience , liberty in sin : and good men have been deceived , and why not i , and the truth that i have received for truth , be an errour . 3. love dearly the truth that you know already ; such truths as discover your sin unto you , make much of them , and certainly the lord will make much more known to you , and preserve you from errour : i will send , saith christ , ioh. 17. the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive ; for you know him and he dwelleth in you . look as it is with a man , if he hath taken down good drink , he will not be apt to take poysoned wine ; he will not run to the ale-house and be drunk , that hath good beer at home . love the truth thou knowest , and the lord will then teach the feeble in his way . 4. drink no more then will do you good : my meaning is this , drink in those truths that ye have known have done you good ; take fast hold of them , and keep them . i will never forget thy precepts , saith david , for by them thou hast quickened me . and then likewise take no more then you have need of , you shall finde this , you need every truth of god ; as now you are tempted to deny evidencing your grace by conditional promises , by such promises wherein the lord doth write down the names of those that he will do good unto , consider whether there be need of that doctrine , and do you not need the contrary ? do you not need to know that them that are pure in heart shall see god ? do you not need this in time of temptation , although for the present , some can walk with a bold conscience . and so for baptism , do you not need a promise of god for your poor children ? lastly , when the lord doth leave you under the sense of your own weakness , that you know not the truth , and under sense of distemper , and that the lord is withdrawn from you , and you know the sin of your heart wherefore the lord is gone : in this case take the counsel of skilful and merciful physitians , go to the servants of the lord , sober and understanding men , old acquaintance with the truth of god , go and ask their counsel : the priests lips should preserve knowledge ; come with an humble and meek spirit , and then the lord will teach you his minde and will. in england , the great reason why so many are deluded , it is because they want instruction ; and our condition here is pretty sad , that we should not have our discipline here published to the world , and to our selves , and therefore we have cause to bless the lord that he hath put it into the hearts of his servants to take paines herein . and there are but these three things that can hinder you from knowing the truth of the lord. 1. unthankfulness . 2. want of prayer . 3. contempt of their message , whom the lord sends to be his ministers . finis . a true representation of the absurd and mischievous principles of the sect, commonly known by the name of muggletonians williams, john, 1636?-1709. 1694 approx. 69 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a66428 wing w2735 estc r38943 18197227 ocm 18197227 107010 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a66428) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 107010) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1137:8) a true representation of the absurd and mischievous principles of the sect, commonly known by the name of muggletonians williams, john, 1636?-1709. [4], 30 p. printed for ric. chiswell ..., london : mdcxciv [1694] attributed to john williams by nuc pre-1956 imprints. reproduction of original in the union theological seminary library, new york. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng muggletonians. christian sects -england -early works to 1800. 2007-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-04 john pas sampled and proofread 2008-04 john pas text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a true representatio● of the absurd and mischievous principles of the sect , commonly known by the name of muggletonians . london , printed for ric. chiswell , at the rose and crown in st. paul's church-yard , m dc xciv . the preface . after that i had , for the use and satisfaction of a private friend , made some enquiry into the principles of the contemptible sect , known of late times by the name of muggletonians , i threw the papers aside , as thinking the time not at all well spent , that i had employ'd in reading their books , and in the examination of what is made up of impiety , nonsence , and absurdities . but however , i was at last prevailed with to permit them to be made publick ; which i did submit to , not so much for the sake of those poor deluded souls that are won over to that pernicious sect , that having no shadow of reason for its support , will not submit to the tryal of it ; and so are uncapable of argument ; but for the sake of others : and to give the world an instance of the power of enthusiasm , and how far it exposes persons to be led away by the confidence or craft of any pretender , how ignorant or selfish soever he be . and of this sort were the first ring-leaders of this sect , john reeve and lodowick muggleton , in the year , 1651. a time of universal liberty ; and which gave an opportunity for the worst of men to vent the absurdest and most infamous errors . the former of these , j. reeve , by profession a baker , pretended that the lord jesus spoke to him by voice of words three days together ; and with such a godlike majesty , that he saith of himself , i did not know whether i was a mortal man , or an immortal god. that the voice told him , that he had given him understanding in the scripture more than all the world besides : and that he had given l. muggleton to be his mouth , and that they two were the last commissioners to the world ; and the two witnesses spoken of revelation 11th . who exercis'd a commission of an higher nature than those of the prophets and apostles ; and that they knew more , and had a greater power than any of them ; as they could bless or curse , save or damn , to all eternity irrevocably . and therefore , whosoever should oppose or vilifie this their commission and doctrine , would be guilty of the unpardonable sin against the holy ghost . accordingly when these two were tried , 1653. at the old baily , before the ld. mayor fowke ; and ordered to lie in bridewell six months , they gave sentence against the said ld. mayor , the recorder steel , and the jury , after this manner . in obedience to our commission received from the holy spirit , &c. we pronounce you cursed and damned , soul and body , to all eternity . now if we come to enquire into their doctrine , there is nothing more absurd , false , and precarious : as they tell us , god has a body like that of a man , of very flesh and bone ; and that the trinity , or father , son , and holy ghost , are only variety of names : that god the father left heaven for a time , and became an absolute mortal man ; and died , and was buried ; and that during his absence from heaven , elias did there represent him ; and was the protector of god , during his minority in the earth ; and that god was raised from the dead by a compact with elias , who surrendred up all again to him . they say farther , that there was but one angel that fell , and that he entred into the womb of eve by her consent , and there died ; and that cain was the very seed of that serpent angel ; and so was brother to abel , only on the mother's side . and that from him sprung all the carnal seed of reprobates , who were not of the seed of adam , such as cain and judas , &c. they hold farther , that there is no devil at all without the body of man ; and that he is no other than man's spirit of unclean reason , and cursed imagination . nay , sometimes they will determine as positively in matters of history and philosophy ; and tell us from the lord , that the epistles of the apostles were wrote in hebrew , greek , and latin : that the sun and stars are but little bigger than they appear to be : that the sun's eclipse proceeds from its nearness to the moon ; and that no one can foretell eclipses but by inspiration . marvellous discourses ! and which our astronomers and almanack-makers are much beholding to them for . for whilst men of learning in that way thought they went by a certain rule of nature , and constant observation , they think too meanly of themselves . these new commissioned men instruct them better ; and tell them , they write their ephemerides and almanacks by revelation , if they therein infallibly foretell eclipses , as what astronomer doth not ? by this , we have a taste of these new prophets pretences ; and may see that their history , philosophy , and divinity , are much alike , and the apparent fruits of ignorance , confidence , and imagination . but i shall leave these to be handled in the following treatise . the principles of the muggletonians consider'd . in the treating upon this subject , there are two questions to be taken into consideration ; viz. 1. whether john reeve and lodowick muggleton are sent from god ? and , 2. whether they are the two witnesses in the 11 th of the revelation ? chap. i. whether they are sent from god ? i here premise , that a man may pretend to be sent , and to have a commission from god , when he is not sent , and has no such commission . so did john robins , of whom j. reeve and l. muggleton say , that he is the last and great antichrist spoken of in the thessalonians . such also were john tanee , bull , varnum , evans , as they confess . so they say the ranters and quakers were false christs and false apostles . therefore they plead , that there was a necessity of the witness of the spirit , because of late and at present so many several antichristian spirits are come forth . from hence i infer , that unless j ▪ reeve and l. muggleton can prove that they are sent and commissioned from god , more than those were whom they grant to be impostors and deceivers ; we have no more reason to believe they came from god , and were sent by him , than they themselves had reason to believe that the forementioned deceivers came from god. for do they say they were sent from god ? so did the others also declare . 2. therefore we must enquire into the evidences and proofs they bring of their commission . this they grant a proper way . so [ in the book call'd a looking-glass ] ▪ if divers men appear as witnesses , or prophets , immediately sent forth by a powerful commission from the everlasting god , are there not certain divine seals to distinguish between those embassadors which are infallible , and them that are but fallible ? in treating upon this , i shall enquire , q. 1. what are the evidences they bring ; and whether they are not such as other deceivers have alike pretended to , and even exceeded them in ? q. 2. whether there are not as great evidences against them , as they have against other pretenders ? if we prove the former , we prove that they have no sufficient evidence ; and they have not those divine seals , which ( as they say ) distinguish between those embassadors that are infallible , and those that are fallible . if we prove the latter , then they are no better than deceivers . sect. i. q 1. i shall consider what the evidences are which they bring of their divine commission ? and they are these , as i find them scatter'd up and down in their books . 1. a voice to j. reeve , three several mornings , in the year , 1651. 2. that their commission is such as never was before , viz. wholly spiritual . 3. that there is no contradiction , and that throughout there is no point in the book call'd the looking-glass , contradicting it self , nor one another . 4. because it discovers all irrational opinions concerning god , &c. 5. because it allows no man to murther another , to cut off the head magistrate , &c. 6. because it denies all power , spiritual or natural , to be capable to act without a continued light to proceed from a spiritual body , &c. 7. it 's from an unerring spirit , because they were induced to write a volume as large as the bible , and as pure a language as that is , without looking in any writing whatsoever . 8. that since the apostles worship ceased , which was in or at the end of the ten persecutions , and above 1000 years ago , not a man hath been commissioned till they , j. reeve and l. muggleton , were . these they call infallible grounds . these i shall examine , and try whether they are sufficient evidences , and infallible proofs of a divine commission . i. character . a voice . of this j. reeve saith , the lord jesus by voice of words spake to me , saying , i have given thee understanding of my mind in scriptures above all men in the world , &c. this he makes a necessary and distinguishing character of a true commission ; so he saith of others , for want of a true commission by voice of words from the god of heaven and earth , they do not declare , &c. it is god's speaking plain words to the outward ear that doth make a man a commissioner . now i shall shew this is no sufficient and distinguishing character . 1. this is no distinguishing character according to them ; for they say others had imaginary and lying voices . but if voices be common , both to true and false apostles , how can it be a proof of the truth of a commission ? and how shall we thereby distinguish the true from the false ? 2. this is no sufficient and distinguishing character , according to the apostle , if it be alone without other evidence , and much more is it not so , if contradictory to scripture , we have a more sure word of prophesie , &c. saith st. peter . 3. it 's not sufficient in it self ; not to the persons to whom the voice is said to come : for they may be imposed upon by men ( as pope celestine and others were ) or by evil spirits , or by imagination , as they grant , when they call them imaginary voices . and much less is it sufficient to others that heard not the voice , but only have it from them that say they heard it ; and so are liable to be imposed upon by the craft or imagination of others . so that if they will pretend to a voice for the proof of their commission , we expect to have some proof that they had such a voice , and that this voice came from god. and especially , because they say that they seal up men to eternal life or death irrevocably ; and that whoever speaks against this commission of theirs , hath committed the unpardonable sin , and so is by them pronounced cursed soul and body to all eternity . which being contrary to the temper of the gospel , and what they have no written authority for , they are oblig'd to shew such proof for as is infallible , or else are gross deceivers . ii. character . their commission is such as never was before , as it 's all spiritual ; and as they had more spiritual vnderstanding than all the world besides ; and such as never was reveal'd before . 1. i answer the pretence to its being spiritual is no sufficient evidence . for they grant that amongst those that were deceivers , there was a great pretence to spiritual and inward voices of power ; to spiritual appearances in themselves ; to spiritual light and pure worship ; to spiritual power and signs , to the being spiritual officers and embassadors . which yet they themselves call spiritual witchcraft , and lying wonders , and counterfeits . and so theirs is no more true or spiritual for their saying so , than those that they condemn . 2. to plead that they have more spiritual understanding , and that they reveal what was not before , is no more an evidence that it is true , than it may be that it is false . john robins pleaded that he came from god , nay , that he was the god and father of the lord jesus christ , and confirmed it ( as reeve saith ) by great signs and wonders , such as the popes could never shew , to the amazement of many deceived by him , &c. and , without doubt , he would as readily declare , that he had more spiritual understanding than all the world besides ; for the letter of the scripture is silent in it . and this they will grant was such doctrine as never was before ; and consequently it s no sufficient plea , nor by which they can prove their commission to be true , more than j. robins could prove that he was god the father . it is not then what they profess to reveal that is sufficient ; but the point is , whether what they so profess is true ? and that is to be proved by somewhat else , such as scripture or miracles . this shews the vanity of what they so often appeal to : as when they say , this is a true testimony , that he hath sent us by his holy spirit ; because there is none upon this earth that beareth witness unto that man jesus that was crucified at jerusalem , to be the only god and everlasting father , but we only . for so might j. robins have said , there is none that beareth witness but my self , that the trinity of persons is adam , abel , and cain ( as j. reeve saith he professed . ) and so might john tanee have said , there is none that beareth witness , but my self , that there is no personal god. it all rests upon their say so , but where is the proof ? where is the scripture , where the miracles , that they prove their commission , and their doctrine by ? for to prove their commission by their doctrine , is much one as to prove their doctrine by their commission . and yet this absurd way do they take . for ask them how they prove their commission ? they say , because there is none upon earth that beareth witness that christ crucified was god the father , but we . ask them again , how they prove the truth of their doctrine ? they answer , by their commission . 3. the matter of fact is not true ; for there have been others before them of the same opinion ; so little reason have they to claim the first discovery to themselves ; as i shall presently shew . 4. it 's an ill sign , that this should be the first discovery , and that for above 1600 years , the whole christian world should know nothing of it , as they themselves acknowledge . iii. character , or proof of their commission , is , that throughout the book , call'd the looking-glass , there is no point contradicting it self , nor one another ; which he calls an infallible proof of the truth of this writing . if there was no other proof of a point contradicting it self , than what is here asserted , that is sufficient . for he saith , that to have no point contradicting it self nor one another in a book , is an infallible proof of the truth of that writing . by which argument , every book consistent with it self , would be necessarily true ; whereas nothing more evident , than that a book may be consistent with it self , and yet be false . as for instance , they say that one bull and varnum , and others long before them , have pretended to be the two witnesses in the 11th of the revelation . suppose we now that those two had wrote a book ( as l. muggleton has done ) and call'd it , a true interpretation of the 11 th of the revelation ; would that have been a sufficient proof of the truth of that writing , that there was no point in it contradicting it self nor one another ? i trow not ; and yet no one can deny but such a book might have been so contrived . and i durst have put it to the venture , whether , if this be true , it would not have been as much a proof of their being those witnesses ; and they might have alike subscribed their book , as he doth his ; viz. by — bull and — varnum , the two last commissionated witnesses . and as this is not an infallible proof of the truth of the writing , so much less of the divine inspiration of it , and of their commission : for a book may in all points agree with it self , and contain nothing but truth , and yet be of humane invention . if a book be inconsistent with it self , it 's to be sure not of divine inspiration ; but it may be consistent , and yet be only of man's composition . and yet they fail in this point ; for it will be a difficult matter to reconcile it to it self : for they say they write from an infallible spirit , which implies the highest certainty , and yet say , i am perswaded in my spirit , and i do rather believe that there was seven hundred thousand , than seven thousand , though the revelation of john doth express it to be but seven thousand . to be perswaded , and to believe a thing to be so , are inconsistent with infallibility ; for that admits no less than i am sure of it . so again , muggleton saith of the angel st. matthew speaks of , that perhaps it was no more to his visible sight ; and speaking of st. john's revelation , he explains it , so it may be said . now these words perhaps , and it may be said , are doubtful expressions , and not reconcileable to infallibility . iv. v. vi. suppose these characters to be true for the matter , yet that follows not that they are of divine inspiration , and infallible . 1. because then it would follow that all good books and true were infallible . 2. the 5th is what others have held as well as they . vii . if the largeness of the book , and the not looking in any writing , were signs of an unerring spirit , then the writings of several quakers , as burroughs and g. fox , &c. might pretend to it , if they may be believed , who often begin their books with the word of god. and so would those of jacob behem , who saith , he writ without humane assistance . and if the purity of the language be a sign of truth and infallibility , then i am sure that the writings of these two are far from being either true or infallible . this , it seems , was notorious in the former edition of the looking-glass , 1656. and therefore l. muggleton doth wisely to lay it upon the abuse it received in the press . but if l. muggleton was the corrector , and was to rectifie those abuses by his own unerring spirit , it would have escaped no better than his true interpretation of the 11 th of the revelation , which abounds with false english beyond number ; and of which i never read a page that wanted it . and even , that very book ( which this is immediately spoken of , viz. the looking-glass . ) after his correction of it , fails in the propriety of the words , the concord , the connexion . in the paragraph just before this bold challenge and the appeal he makes to the purity of its language [ n 45. ] we find the word tosticated , a vulgar , but a much mistaken word , and is for intoxicated . where is the concord in the phrase , things of such concernment requires . [ epistle 1. prefixed by reeve ] and men takes upon them . [ p. 165. n. 29. ] my brethren that hath . [ p. 207. n. 8 ] secrets that hath not been reveal'd . [ p. 208. n. 17. ] where is the propriety , in neither did he know not what power he was endued with . [ p. 127. n. 21. ] and confounded of conscience . [ p. 96. n. 18. ] . these are passages i casually met with ; but if any one will have a specimen , let him read l. muggleton's epistle annexed to that book , and try what purity and elegancy is in it . it 's a sign these persons did not understand true english , nor often the sence of what they wrote , that would venture upon this , and produce the purity of the language as a note of an unerring spirit , in the compiling of it . viii . character , or evidence is , that since the apostles worship ceased , which continued about 300 years , and which was in or at the end of the ten persecutions , not a man hath been commissioned till they were . how many things are here taken for granted , which there is not a syllable of proof for ? as , 1. that there was a time when the apostles way of worship was to cease , and actually ceased . 2. that this time was at the end of the ten persecutions . 3. that none was commissioned from that time . 4. that j. reeve and l. muggleton are now commissioned . after all that has been said , where is the evidence of these mens commission ? they did wisely to lay aside scripture and miracles : as they do . of scripture , they say , the commission of the spirit agreeing with , and explaining of the former commissions of the law and the gospel , differing only in point of worship . and as for signs , they are for those that are spiritual , invisible fire , and burning within ; but as for natural visible signs , they leave them to the first and second commission , to moses and christ . but yet after all , we think we may as well say to them , as they to others ; if thou shalt imagine thy self fit to minister , i would fain know of thee , whether thou art indued with a ministerial power ? doth christ immediately pour forth the gift of his spirit , or cure the sick when thou prayest over them ? or doth he own thee in casting out devils , by thy word ? or doth he own thee by raising the dead , curing the lame , &c. thus far we have considered the evidences , which are such as are no distinguishing characters , and what others may equal them in ; and so we have no more reason to accept them as commissionated , than they had to accept impostors ; and have as much reason to reject them , as they had to reject other impostors . for what is there they pretend to , which impostors have not , or might not have pretended to ? nay , if either be accepted , they are so to be that exceed these in their evidence , as did j. robbins , who shewed many signs , and presented his person to some riding upon the wings of the wind , like unto a flame of fire , &c. and did plague the bodies and spirits of others at his pleasure , in a most dreadful manner , as they report . here was a sensible evidence ; it was conspicuous , he plagued the bodies and spirits of men : but these men pretend only to a voice that one of them heard , and to a power of pronouncing men damned to all eternity irrevocably . sect. ii. q 2. i shall consider whether there be not as great evidence against j. reeve and l. muggleton , as they had against other pretenders ; which if it be , they are as much deceivers as the others ? 1. they are deceivers , and have no commission , who contradict , and make void a former commission , without sufficient authority or commission for it . 2. they are deceivers , and have no commission , who pretend to inspiration and infallibility , and yet have actually mistaken in what they pretend infallibility and inspiration for . 1. they have no commission , who contradict and make void a former commission , without authority or commission so to do . they say in the title to the looking-glass , the commission of the spirit agreeing with , and explaining of the two former commissions of the law and gospel , differing only in point of worship . 1. i shall consider how they differ in worship from the former commission ( as they call it . ) 2. i shall shew , that if they differ ( as they say ) only in point of worship , yet in so doing they do contradict , and so far make void the former commission . 3. that they differ from the former commission in many other things , as well as worship ; and which are of such consequence , that did they agree in worship with the former commission ( as they grant they do not ) yet those alone would be sufficient to shew that they do thereby make void the former commission . which if it be made good , then what remains for them , but to shew their commission for so doing ; and if their authority for it be not proved by as good , clear , and sufficient evidence , as the former commission was confirmed and established , we have good reason to think no better of them than they did of robbins , tanee , and other impostors . 1. i shall consider how they differ in worship from the former commissions of moses and christ . of this , let us hear them . this commission of the spirit doth hold forth no visible nor external outward worship , as the other two commissions [ of moses and the apostles ] did ; [ so muggleton 's epistle to looking-glass . ] that is , all visible worship from mens tongues , eyes , and hands , was to be done away ; and is now but as a golden calf of mens own imaginations ; and no more accepted by christ , than the cutting off of a dog's neck . 't is not outward praying , preaching , fasting , or thanksgiving , to be seen of men , but it is an inw●rd , spiritual , silent praying and praising , &c. and yet they grant this visible worship was the way of the apostles , which did last till the end of the ten persecutions ; and which was then in great force so long as that commission stood , as muggleton acknowledges in the foresaid epistle . so that in this point the commission of the apostles , and theirs , are inconsistent . 2. i shall shew , that supposing they thus differ from the second commission ( that of christ and his apostles ) only in worship , yet , in so doing , they so far make void the former commission . this is granted : for they say , when god doth give a new commission , the old is made void , as with reference to the visible worship . therefore you know , that the apostles commission did wholly thrust out the visible worship which was set up by moses . so likewise it is with this commission of the spirit ; because this commission of the spirit doth hold forth no visible outward worship , as the other two commissions did . they own christ's commission did appoint a visible external worship , but this of the spirit ( as they call it ) doth not , but forbids it ; and so the latter doth make void the former . now then , since their commission doth as much make void the commission of christ , as to external worship , as christ's commission did that of moses ; we may enquire who gave them this commission , or how do they prove they received it from god ? for certainly , they who will make void the commission of christ and the apostles , ought in reason to give as good evidence of a divine authority for so doing , as our saviour gave of his ; and so much the more , as christ is above moses . our saviour did not expect the jews should give credit to him further than he gave them evidence ; and 't is surely then unreasonable to give credit to these persons without it . and our saviour's evidence would have been none , had he only that to say for himself , which these pretend to . would it have been enough for our saviour , when the jews required a sign , to have said , as these do , this is the old serpent that arraigns the glorious god at the bar of thy carnal reason ? no : though our saviour call'd the jews an adulterous generation , because they continued incredulous , after the miracles wrought among them ; yet at the same time , he tells them that there was one in reserve which would convince them , or nothing would ; which was his own resurrection . matth. 12. 39. it is not necessary every one sent from god should , in every case , have this testimony of miracles , as it was with john baptist , john 10. 41. but had john come to make void the former commission of moses , he must have produced the evidence . and this our saviour did , and so ought these to do ; or else must be reckoned among the false christs , and false apostles . 3. they differ from the former commission in many other things as well as worship ; and that of so great consequence , that these alone would be sufficient to shew , that they thereby make void the former commission ; and so must be deceivers , if the former commission ; be in force ; and it is in force , if they have no authority to make it void ; and they have no authority , if they have not sufficient evidence for it . sometimes they say , there are six principles , viz. 1. the person of god. 2. person of angels . 3. person of the devil . 4. adam's condition . 5. joy of heaven . 6. eternal death . at other times they say , there are two foundations of all spiritual understanding , viz. the form and nature of the true god , and the form and nature of the right devil . but the things of this kind i shall refer to these heads , viz. god , angels , and men. 1. let us take a view of their principles that respect god , concerning whom they hold , 1. that god is not a spirit , but hath a body ; and is very flesh and bone : and so they call an infinite spirit an infinite nothing , a cursed , lying , and imaginary god , and a pretended spiritual god. 2. that god was in the form of a man , and like unto the first adam from all eternity . 3. that the words father , son , and spirit , are only variety of names , and are the same godhead , in a three-fold condition ; and that the man christ jesus is the father , son , and spirit in one person ; and that by declaration of the spirit , the addition of two persons more proceeds only from the serpentine antichristian devil in carnal men. 4. that god the father uncreated himself from his eternal and immortal glory , and entered into the virgin 's womb , and became flesh ; and for a season became an absolute mortal man. 5. that the man jesus that was crucified , is the only god ; and that the whole godhead died , and was buried for a moment . 6. that elias was taken up bodily into heaven , that he might represent god the father whilst he went his journey into the flesh ; a and so was the protector of god for a moment , when god became a child , b and was an absolute creature ; c and watch'd over him all the days of his mortality , from his birth to his ascension : d and that fill'd him with all those great revelations of his former glory , when he was the immortal father . e that elias was the god and the father to whom christ said , my god , my god — and father , into thy hands — and to whom he prayed , father , if it be possible , &c. f that moses ( who was also glorified , and never died , but was translated g and elias did represent the person of god the father in heaven ; and were the angels of whom it s said , he shall give his angels charge over thee , lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone ; that is , lest he should at any time be overcome by the temptations of reason , which is the devil . h that christ was raised from the dead by a spiritual compact with elias i ; and that he surrendred all up to christ when he ascended into the right hand of all power k : and all this , they say , they speak by revelation from the holy spirit . l 2. as to their opinions concerning the holy angels and devils , they say , that the angels are persons in form like men. as to devils , they affirm , 1. that there was but one angel fell . 2. that the angels ( cast out with him ) were of his seed and generation , through his union with the entrails of eve by her consent ; into whose womb he presently enter'd , where he died , and became essentially one with her : that cain was the very seed of that reprobate serpent angel ; and so cain was brother to abel only on the mother's side . 3. that cain , and none but he alone , is beelzebub the prince of darkness , and the father of all the angels of darkness ; and so the two seeds of adam and cain , though mixed together by carnal copulation , yet are distinct ; and so cain and judas were not of the seed of adam . 4. that there is no devil at all without the body of a man ; so that that devil so frequently spoken of in the letter of scripture , that tempts men to all unrighteousness , is man's spirit of unclean reason and cursed imagination . 3. as to men. they say , that the spirit of a man is mortal , dies , turns into dust , and is utterly annihilated until the resurrection . and therefore , when solomon said , the spirit returns to god who gave it ; those words proceeded not from the spiritual knowledge of god in him , but from his own carnal reason . and though he was a wise man , his wisdom was not prophetical , nor was he a pen-man of holy writ . 4. by inspiration from the unerring spirit , they positively affirm the substances of earth and water were from all elements . i shall briefly reflect upon these . as to god. 1. he saith , god is not a spirit , but hath a body . i answer , 1. ) the scripture makes a body and a spirit two opposite things ; so that a body is not a spirit , nor a spirit a body . eccles . 12. 7. the body returns to the dust , and the spirit to god. so a spirit has not flesh and bones . luke 24. 37 , 39. 2. ) the scripture calls god a spirit , but never a body ; which it might do , if he was a body and not a spirit , or if a body as well as a spirit . 2. they say , god is in the form of a man. i answer , 1. ) the scripture saith , god is invisible , heb. 11. 27. and as no man hath seen him , so whom no man can see , 1 tim. 6. 16. 2. ) it especially takes us off from all such gross conceptions of him . john 5. 37. deut. 4. 12. 3. that the words father , son , and spirit are only various names . i answer . if so , then christ must be begotten of himself , and be in the bosom of himself . he must then send himself , and come by himself to himself ; and be an advocate with himself , and be greater than himself . he must judge no man , and yet commit and take all judgment to himself . and after he has administred the kingdom , he must deliver it from himself to himself . and to conclude this point , he must be the father of himself . 4. god the father became flesh . answer . quite contrary to scripture ; which saith , god sent forth his son , made of a woman , gal. 4. 4. and god sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh , rom. 8. 3. and the word , the only begotten of the father , was made flesh , john. 1. 14. and his son was made of the seed of david , rom. 1. 3. 1 john 4. 9. but there is not one word , that the father was made of a woman , and was made flesh , &c. and became the son. 5. that the godhead died , &c. just contrary to scripture ; which saith , god is immortal , 1 tim. 1. 17. and that he only hath immortality , 1 tim. 6. 16. 6. elias is all fable . let any one read the divine prayer of our blessed saviour , just before his apprehension , john 17. and see how it would look , if applied to elias . did elias give him power over all flesh ? &c. was elias the only true god ? and would it be eternal life to believe in elias , as the only true god ? did elias give him the work he was to do ? and had he a glory with elias before the world was ? did elias give him the words he was to give to his ? and did the apostles believe that he came out from elias , and was sent by him ? was elias in him , and he in elias ? and were all believers to be one in elias and him ? &c. o horrid blasphemy ! i think that chapter alone is enough to rid any of this frenzy . so one while they say elias , had charge of god for a moment , [ transcend . p. 35. ] and yet elsewhere , from his birth to his ascension : [ revelat. p. 130. n. 16. ] that he was quickned by the compact of elias ; [ transcend . p. 37. ] and yet by his own power [ general epist . p. 5. ] as to the devils , they say , 1. but one angel fell . just contrary to scripture , which tells us of the angels that fell , jude 6. and this cannot be applied to cain and his posterity ; because , according to these mens principles , they never fell , being devils by extraction and propagation , and not by transgression and apostacy . 2. that the devil entred into the womb of eve , and there died ; and out of him came cain , &c. the scripture plainly saith , that cain was the son of adam as well as eve. gen. 4. 1. adam knew his wife , and she conceived and bare cain . reeve wisely observes , that in the genealogy of adam unto jesus , there is no mention made of cain . this is said for want of knowing that jesus was descended from seth ; and he might as well have said there is no mention of abel : for as abel died without children , so all the posterity of cain perished in the deluge : and it was only the posterity of seth that survived and peopled the world again . 3. that cain , and none but he , is beelzebub , &c. answer . the same scripture that speaks of beelzebub , being prince of the devils , speaks of him as casting them out , and so supposes beelzebub then in being in his own person ; but that cannot then be applied to cain , who is not in being at all ( as they hold ) in his person . 4. there is no devil without the body of a man , and devils are only mens lusts and imaginations . answer . 1. then the devils which the heathens and israelites offer'd their sacrifices and children to , were their own cursed imaginations . levit. 17. 7. psal . 106. 35. 2. then the devil that transported christ , and argued with him , and that hurried him into the wilderness , set him upon a pinacle of the temple , must be his own imagination . 3. then the devils that enabled the young man to break his chains ; [ mark 5. 2. &c. ] and that tore and bruised the child , [ luke 9. 39. ] and that go about to and fro in the earth , [ job 1. 7. 1 peter 5. 8. ] and that contended with micbael ; were only the lusts of men ; that is , the lusts of men broke chains , bruised and tore persons , walk'd to and fro in the earth , &c. which is irreconcileable . as to man , they say the soul is mortal , and turns into dust with the body . answer . the scripture on the contrary tells us , that the souls of men are alive after their departure hence . so [ matth. 22. 32. ] our saviour proves from that saying , i am the god of abraham , &c. that god is not the god of the dead , but of the living ; that is , god is said to be their god after they were dead ; and that he could not have been , had they not been in being after their decease . this again our saviour's argument shews , mat. 10. 28. fear not them which kill the body , but are not able to kill the soul ; where he not only makes the soul and body two distinct things , but so really such , that the one may be killed , but the other cannot . but if the soul was mortal and turn'd into dust , they would as well kill the soul as the body ; and would kill the soul , by killing the body . so luke 16. 22. the beggar that died was carried into abraham's bosom , and the rich man was in hell. how ! not as to their bodies surely ; for they were left in this world , the rich man was buried . and this was before the resurrection , for it was while their brethren were alive , v. 28. and therefore it must be as to their souls alone , that one was with abraham , and the other in hell. ii. they are deceivers ; that plead divine inspiratition and infallibility , and yet have been guilty of self-contradiction ; and have actually mistaken in principles and matter of fact. it has been just before shew'd , that they have grosly err'd in their principles , which are contrary to the word of god. let us then now proceed to their self-contradictions , to errors in matters of fact , by which it will appear that what they say of themselves , that they are infallible , and not guilty of any mistake , is one of the number . 1. i shall consider their self-contradictions . in one place they say , if any man despise this writing of theirs , he commits the unpardonable sin against the holy ghost . so the general epistle , &c. and yet in another it is , to persecute others for the sake of christ , is that sin. at one time they tell us , that they two were the forerunners of the end of the world , and that this was to be suddenly after they had delivered their message . at another time it is , whosoever shall live to see an end of them two , shall suddenly see the dissolution of the world. by the first suddenly , they are to be understood of what was immediately to come to pass ; for they say john robins , the man of sin ( as they make him ) was to appear a little before the personal visible coming of christ . and that the dissolution of the world was presaged by the many fires then happen'd in london ; and by the condition of the people . now this message of theirs ( which the end of the world was suddenly to follow ) was declared 1651 , as appears by their remonstrance , which is above 40 years since : and reeve has been dead above 30 years ; for it was before muggleton reprinted the book call'd his looking-glass , 1661. but why should we wait the end of these two ? for if they be the witnesses in the revelation , they are to die by the hands of violence , and to rise again , and to ascend up into heaven in the sight of their enemies . and muggleton may as well tell us , that it was so with john reeve ; as he doth that moses was translated ; of whom the scripture saith , that he died and was buried . but let us proceed to their palpable mistakes , and which yet they affirm to be true , as well as themselves to be infallible . and this in the first place i take to be one , that they affirm , that they had more knowledge in the scriptures than all the men of the world besides ; and yet every where betray the grossest ignorance in them . 1. as first of all , when they say that moses was translated , who , the scripture saith , died and was buried , deut. 34. 5 , 6. 2. muggleton supposes matthew to have seen the angel at our saviour's resurrection ; and gives it as a reason why he speaks but of one ; saith he , perhaps he was no more to his ( matthew 's ) visible sight . 3. he saith , that the souldiers did see the natural vail of the temple rent from the bottom to the top : whereas the vail was in the most inward part of the temple , and the souldiers were at mount calvary , watching the body of jesus . 4. he saith , we read not of cain in the genealogy from adam to jesus : forgetting that jesus was not descended from cain , but seth. 5. we may add to this , gross ignorance , when he affirms , that the apostles epistles were written either in hebrew , greek , or latin ; and for the most in greek and latin. [ revelat. ch . 52. n. 6 , 7. ] whereas those epistles were written in greek only . 6. he affirms , that the roman catholicks were the first professors of the faith of christ , and of the apostles . whereas it is notorious in scripture , that the jews converted were the first professors of it ; and then the gentiles in judea . let us proceed to another sort of mistakes . 1. they say , the first sort of persons that affirm the holy one of israel to consist of three persons , are athanasius , socinus , alias john biddle . as if athanasius and socinus were of the same opinion ; whereas athanasius was a zealous assertor of the trinity ; and socinus and biddle oppugners of it . and as for socinus , he would not allow the holy spirit to be a person at all ; and biddle would have him only a created angel , and so not god. 2. they affirm that no one ever taught their principles , as that god the father died , and that god had a body , and was in the form of a man , &c. whereas there is hardly any thing new , but that there have been some as wild and fanciful as themselves in past ages . as , ( 1 ) the anthropomorphites , and audians , and manichees held , that god had a human body . ( 2. ) that there was but one person in the deity , only called by different names ; so held the noetians , colarbasians , and sabellians . ( 3. ) that the father suffer'd ; so the cataphrygians , sabellians ( called therefore patropassiani ) and that the divinity of christ suffer'd ; so the theopaschites . ( 4. ) that the soul died with the body ; and that there was no resurrection of the body ; so the valentinians , manichees , &c. ( 5. ) that the wicked are of the posterity of cain . so the valentinians and sethites . without raking farther into this matter , this is sufficient to shew , that they are not the first broachers of these doctrines . 3. they affirm , that the reason of the eclipse of the moon , is through her near conjunction with the sun ; whereas it 's manifest , that it is when it 's opposite to the sun ; and that the earth is between them . 4. they affirm , that no man can know the time of eclipses , but by inspiration : whereas they may be as well foretold , as the time the sun will rise at to morrow . 5. he positively affirms from god , that the bodies of the sun , moon , and stars , are in compass not much bigger than they appear to our natural sight : whereas it's evident on the contrary , that every thing diminishes in its appearance according to the degree of its elevation : and consequently those heavenly bodies , being vastly remote from the earth , must be vastly greater than they appear to the eye . 6. he affirms , that the sun , moon , and stars neither borrow , nor lend light to one another : whereas we see plainly that the moon borrows light from the sun ; and that , according as the earth is between it and the sun , so it 's proportionably obscured . 7. he affirms positively from the lord , that the sun , moon , and stars are only in one firmament : whereas it's evident on the contrary , 1. that the moon is in an orb lower than the sun , and both of them lower than the stars . 2. that there are different motions , a slower and swifter in the planets ; and that those called fixed stars only move all alike , and are in the same firmament . whether these are errors or no , let all men judge ; and if so , what becomes of their infallibility ? what of their pretence to divine illumination ? chap. ii. it remains now to proceed to to the second question , viz. q. whether j. reeve and l. muggleton are the two witnesses spoken of in the 11th of the revelation ? this they both do avow , and l. muggleton has wrote a comment upon that chapter , in his way , foolish and absurd enough , to try how he can work it to his purpose . but like one that is not in himself over confident of his performance ; he sometimes shrinks from it , and comes off with a may be : as , we may be said to be those two olive trees ; and the two witnesses may be said to have finished , &c. now what more sneaking and pitiful ! after they have boldly challeng'd this character to themselves , to give it over again , and retire from it , as if they fainted under a distrust , and the fear of inconsistencies in it . as a specimen of which , i shall compare the text of scripture and his exposition together . revelation , ch. 11. text . chap. 78 , &c. exposition . ver. 3. i will give power unto my two witnesses , and they shall prophesie one thousand two hundred and sixty days , cloathed in sackcloth . v. 4. they are the two olive-trees , and the two candlesticks standing before the god of the earth . we , j. reeve and l. muggleton , shall prophesie concerning the spiritual estate of mankind to eternity , and of the end of the world. olive trees , because of the oyl of joy in our doctrine . candlesticks , because god hath put the commission of his spirit into us , which is light. v. 5. if any man will hurt them , a fire proceedeth out of their mouth , and devoureth their enemies ; and if any man will hurt them , he must in this manner be killed . fire proceedeth , to pronounce blessing and cursing to eternity . v. 6. these have power to shut heaven , that it rain not in the days of their prophesie ; and have power over waters to turn them into blood , and to smite the earth with all plagues , as often as they will. to shut heaven ; that is , the heaven of mens hearts . that it rain not ; that is , after the sentence of eternal death , it prevents the motion of the spirit . turns water into blood ; that is , the motions of peace and hope of mens souls ( which are as water to drink ) into wrath , and so it becomes a spiritual plague . v. 7. and when they shall have finished their testimony , the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit , shall make war against them , and shall overcome them , and kill them . finished their testimony ; that is , the doctrine of truth , which is , that jesus christ is god the father , son , and spirit , &c. the beast ; that is , the spirit of reason in the lord mayor , aldermen , and jury . bottomless pit ; that is , the pit of their imagination . shall kill them ; that is , would have killed us , if their law would have done it . v. 8. and their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city , which spiritually is called sodom and egypt , where also our lord was crucified . dead bodies ; that is , the letter of scripture . in the streets of the city ; that is , the hearts of men. v. 9. and they of the people , and kindred , and tongues , and nations , shall see their dead bodies three days and a half , and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves . for the meaning of this , he refers us to what was before , and that i find in ch . 51 , 52. the people ; that is , the jews who owned the letter of the law. gentiles ; that is , those that owned the letter of the apostles , that is , the roman emperours , which overcame the nation of the jews , which was in the destruction of jerusalem , which was in the ten persecutions . three days and a half ; that is , 1350 years ; for so long the letter of scripture lay dead . not suffer their bodies to be buried ; because the jews and gentiles knew better what to do with the letter than the spirit . and so the roman catholicks , and those that sprung from them , have seen the dead bodies of the scripture lie dead 1350 years . v. 10. and they that dwell on the earth shall rejoyce over them , and make merry , and shall send gifts one to another , because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth . they rejoyced over the letter of the scriptures ; the spirit and life of them being put to death . and now they looked upon themselves as very sure , because there were none left upon earth that had a commission to torment them . v. 11. and after three days and a half , the spirit of life from god enter'd into them , and they stood upon their feet , and great fear fell upon them which saw them . the spirit ; that is , the commission of the spirit enter'd into the letter of the law and gospel ; and by a true interpretation they made the dead letter stand upon its feet , and that kills the spirit of reason with death eternal ; which it never did this 300 years , till the year 1651. great fear ; so as to convince some , and make them silent : others were filled so with wrath , as to be damn'd to eternity ; others receiv'd it to eternal happiness . v. 12. and they heard a great voice from heaven , saying unto them , come up hither . and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud , and their enemies beheld them . of this blank . here he seems to be at a loss . i shall now draw all this together , and the sum of the whole is this . that j. reeve and l. muggleton are the two witnesses , the olive trees , and candlesticks spoken of in this chapter . that these two were to prophesie 1260 days , beginning in february , 1651. and had power to save and damn irrevocably to all eternity , &c. that upon declaring this commission , the beast out of the bottomless pit , that is , the ld. mayor fowk , the recorder , and jury , out of the pit of their imagination , made war against these two aforesaid witnesses , 1653. and killed them ; that is , the letter of the scripture . and their dead bodies , which is the letter of the scripture , lay dead in the streets of the hearts of men. and the people and kindred saw the dead letter of the scripture lie dead three days and a half , or 1350 years , and rejoyced at it . but at the end of the 1350 years , in which the bodies of the witnesses , or the letter of the scripture , had lay dead , the spirit entered into them , by the commission given to j. reeve and l. muggleton , 1651. and so the bodies of the witnesses , or letter of the scripture , stood up again . and it should have been added , that the witnesses ascended up into heaven in a cloud , and their enemies beheld them . but soft — for j. reeve has been long dead . now reconcile all this who can ? for , 1. he saith that they two are the two witnesses , and yet the bodies of those two witnesses are the letter of the scripture . 2. if the letter of the scripture is the body of the witnesses , and that lay slain 1300 years before these two say , they receiv'd their commission ; then the bodies of them were slain before , and 1300 years before , these two witnesses were in being . 3. he saith , the body of the witnesses , or letter , was slain 1300 years before ; and yet makes it slain again by the ld. mayor . and if it was slain in his time , then the three days and a half was to begin after his time , and a new 1350 years was to follow . 4. observe , that in the revelation , the two witnesses had their commission before the bodies were slain : but if the bodies of the witnesses is the letter of scripture , and was slain 1350 years ago ; then they were slain so long before these had their commission , which was not till 1651. it 's plain , this shifter knows not where to fix . he would fain , like simon magus , be accounted some great one , and he and his partner would set up for broachers of new doctrines , how sordid and contradictious soever ; but he wants the skill to patch things cleverly together ; they are at the best but tatters , and can never be brought into one intire piece . and this exposition of his is so sorry and pitiful an attempt , that he might as well have undertaken to have proved himself and reeve to be the two great lights in the heavens ; and to as good purpose have in like manner wrote an exposition on the first chapter of genesis . to conclude , if confusion and self-contradiction , may pass for exposition ; if confidence and self-assuming may pass for inspiration ; if nonsence and obscurity may pass for illumination ; if cursing and damning others may pass for charity ; if blasphemy may pass for religion ; then these two may be allowed to be what they pretend . but if these things will not pass among mankind ; then they will no more be prophets and witnesses from god , than they will ascend into heaven in a cloud , in the sight of their enemies finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a66428-e90 see letter to ld. mayor , and the remonstr . notes for div a66428-e470 remonst . p. 4. transcend . spir. treat . p. 6 , 7. true interpret . of revelat. ch . 75. n. 3. 5. look . glass . ch. 22. n. 15. ch. 27. n. 38. look . glass . p. 60. n. 36. look . glass . p. 60. n. 37. n. 38. n. 39. p. 112 n. 46. joyful news , p. 49. see transcendent spir. treatise , §. 1. p. 4. 5. quakers neck . p. 67. look . glass . p. 111. n. 43. revelat. p. 40. n. 21. look . glass . 1 epist . and p. 112. 117. 168. n. 8. 169. n. 15. 195. n. 34. 197. n 34. 2 peter 2. 17 , 18 , 19. remonst . p. 9 , 11 , 12. transcend . p. 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 41. letter to ld. mayor , p. 3. look . glass . p. 42. n. 10. transcendent . p. 41. revelat. p. 158. ch . 77. n. 1. muggleton's epist . to look . glass . p. 3. look . glass . p. 111. n. 43. 167. n. 1 , 2. transc . p. 7. revel . p. 156. n. 2 , 3. p. 157. n. 1 , 2 , 4. 158. n. 3 , 4 , 5. look . glass . p. 168. n. 11 , 12. 171. n. 33. transcend . p. 7. transcendent . p. 41. look . glass . p. 92. p. 93. n. 25. 99. n. 37. transcend . p. 7. remonstr . p. 4. look . glass . p. 99. n. 37 , 38. look . glass . p. 99. n. , 6. look . glass . p. 14. n. 29. revelat. p. 143. n. 11. revelat. chap. 60. n. 8. 15. 19. epist . prefixed to it . see p. 76. n. 2 , 4. p 92. n. 21. p. 108. n. 3. look . glass . p. 98. n. 31. transc . p. 6. p. 18. title page to the looking-glass . transc . p. 4 , 5 , 6 , & 41. look . glass . p. 158. n. 24. 186. n. 33. revelat. p. 162. n. 4. joyful news . p. 51. transcend p. 9. joyful news . p. 40 , 43. muggleton's epist . to look . glass . look glass . , p 185. n. 26 , &c. remonstr . p. 7. transc . p. 14. look . glass . c. 18. n. 9 , 10. look . glass . p. 195. n. 34. transcend . ibid. look . glass . p. 79. n. 25 , 31. p. 49. n. 13 , 14. look . glass . p. 12. n. 11. 81. n. 14. look . glass . p. 36. c. 9. rev. p. 164. n 4. look . glass . p. 2. n. 10. transcend p. 2. 11 , 23 , 26 , 28 , 29. letter to ld. mayor . p. 23. transc . p. 41. gen. epist p. 5. look . glass . p. 64. n. 27. a trans . p. 31. b p. 35. c p. 36. d revel . ch . 60. n. 10. e trans p. 35. f p. 36. 31. g revel . ch . 59 n. 3. 5. h trans . p. 31. revel . ch . 60. n. 4. i trans . p. 37. k p. 38. l p. 35 , &c. look . glass . p. 96. n. 18. look . glass . p. 9. n. 3. look . glass . p. 8. n. 8. p. 130. n. 4. quakers neck . n. 14. transc . p. 21. look . glass . p. 130 n. 5. 134. n. 26. 153. n. 15. transc . p. 21. look . glass . p. 154. n. 22 , 23 , &c. p. 156. n. 34 , &c. n. 44. trans . p. 25. remonstr . p. 8 look . glass . p. 147. n. 21. 27 148 n. 31. trans . p. 50. 54. look . glass . p. 100 , 101. joyful news . p. 10 , 12 , 13. look . glass . ch . 30. n. 25 p. 126. n. 15. 128. n. 30 , 31. look . glass . p. 5 , 6 , 28 , 29. john 1. 14 , 18. john 5. 37. 14. 6. 1 john 2. 1. john 14. 28. john 5. 22. 1 cor. 15. 24. john 5. 18. look . glass p. 158 n. 5● . look . glass . p. 42. n. 11. transcendent . spir. treat . remonstr . p. 5. remonstr . p. 6. transcend . p. 6. look . plass . p. 194. 28. ibid. p. 198. n. 15. revelat. c. 59. revelat. ch . 9. n. 8. revel . ch . 63. 5. see pag. 20. revelat. ch . 53. n. 4. look . glass . p. 41. n. 2. look . glass . p. 33. n. 50 , 58. ibid. p. 34. n. 59. ibid. p. 31. n. 34 , 35. ibid. p. 31 , 32 , 33. interpret . of the revelat. c. 79. n. 1. c. 82. n. 7. an expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. by a brother in christ marshall, stephen, 1594?-1655. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a52038 of text r204591 in the english short title catalog (wing m754a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 89 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a52038 wing m754a estc r204591 99825341 99825341 29721 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a52038) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 29721) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1993:19) an expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. by a brother in christ marshall, stephen, 1594?-1655. [2], 40 p. printed for h.r. and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the three pigeons in pauls church-yard, london : 1647. a brother in christ = stephen marshall. caption title on p. 1 reads: an expedient. to preserve peace and amitie, among dissenting brethren. reproduction of the original in the christ church library, oxford. eng christian sects -england -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century -early works to 1800. a52038 r204591 (wing m754a). civilwar no an expedient to preserve peace and amity, among dissenting brethren. by a brother in christ. marshall, stephen 1647 17678 121 0 0 0 0 0 68 d the rate of 68 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2004-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-12 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-01 rachel losh sampled and proofread 2005-01 rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an expedient to preserve peace and amity , among dissenting brethren . by a brother in christ . london , printed for h. r. and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the three pigeons in pauls church-yard , 1647. an expedient . to preserve peace and amitie , among dissenting brethren . seeing it hath pleased almighty god , 〈…〉 ▪ at this time to put a stop to the effusion of bloud , so prodigally powred out in our native country , and thereby given a hope of speedily stating the whole kingdome , in a firme and durable peace : it doth not a little grieve my soul , that this happinesse should be clouded or retarded , under the pretence of religion , which is the best cimenter of peace . but herein i take comfort , that god hath his own work , no lesse in these controversies , then before hee had in the warres , and will reap glory out of both . we must neither start nor stagger , when we see schismes and heresies rise , in the visible church they are the tares , which the envious man soweth , among gods wheat ; and christ hath fore-warned us , and so hath his apostles , that through the rage of satan , and corruption of men , there must of necessity in all times and ages arise scandals , dissentions , and heresies in the church ; for the exercise of the godly , that their faith might be proved and manifested to the world , by holding their ground , and cleaving to the truth . yea , the very gospell of christ , which in it selfe , is a gospell of peace , by the bloud of the son , reconciling of us , to the father . meeteth with such malignancy and opposition in the world , that to the true professors of it , it becometh , a gospel of warre and hatred , and persecution . this is the condition of the faithfull , to be alwayes in outward troubles , wherein were they not supported with inward peace , they were of all men , most miserable . upon this ground martin luther , that undanted champion of the truth , being taxed by the emperour in a great councell , that he was the man , who by his doctrine had disturbed the long continued peace in germany : answered , that what others thought he could not tell , but it rejoyced his heart , to see that there was divisions , about the word of god ; for christ came not to bring peace but the sword . by all this it appeareth , that as every true beleever must expect tribulation in this world , so hee shall have peace with god , and ought to have peace and communion one with another ; christ when he left his disciples , left them peace for a legacy , and a commandement , to love one another ; we are also frequently exhorted , to follow after peace ; to bee of one mind , and preserve the unity of the spirit , in the bond of peace . how comes it then about that we see so many minds , among brethren , who will all passe for the disciples of christ ; and that from the diversity of minds , wee see , so many rents and separations ▪ whereby the bond of peace is broken , and the spirits of men , disunited ! certainly when it commeth so far , it can proceed from no other root then from our lusts , which war in our earthly members . otherwise difference of judgement , among true beleevers , in the sincere search of truth , may well stand with unity of affections , without breach of peace . for it is manifest enough , that the true beleevers over the whole world , are not of one mind , in all things that concerne religion , and the worship of god . witnesse the severall formes of outward worship , among all nations , no lesse various then their fashions . and this may also happen , among the faithfull , aswell in the same , as in severall nations ; nay if we consider it home , wee shall find , the like difference in our selves , that we need not wonder at it , in others ; for what christian is there , who in pursuit and study for truth , observeth not in himself , degrees , and diversities of judgement ; every day teacheth knowledge this life being a time of growth , not of perfection ; neverthelesse , no man hateth himself , because he formerly knew not so much , as now he doth , but rather praiseth god , for hauing revealed to him , a greater measure of knowledge by this rule , wee should deale with others , as we do with our selves , for that is the rule of charity . we are all gods building , and albeit , they may chance to differ among themselves . they are not for that to make a breach in the building ; but in love and peace , suffer their opinions , to bee tryed , by the word of god , making that the decider , not the breeder of controversies . this being premised , i will proceed to the subject , lying before me , and take my beginning , from the beginning it self . almighty god doing all his own works in order , was pleased to make man , a sociable creature ; first in himself , associating an earthly and heavenly nature , that one might guide and governe the other ; and himselfe receive glory from both . then by ingrafting in that compounded nature , rules of spirituall and humane duty , whereby he might be fitted for a well-being , in the society of others . for as the conjunction of flesh and spirit , though parts far differing in nature , make one man ; so the conjunction of many men , though of severall ages , complections , humors , passions , callings and degrees , make up a common-wealth , for the good of all , in their temporall well-being . even so likewise , the conjunction of many spirits and minds of men , though dissenting in opinions , wayes and strength of judgement , yet ayming at the same end , by faith in christ , to attain salvation . maketh a common union or a church , for the good of all , in their eternall wel-being . flesh alone , nor spirit alone , cannot make a man , but the union of both , no more can a common-wealth by it self , nor a church by it self , make men temporally and eternally happy , but the unity and harmony of both . they are so conjoyned and intwined together , that as the soule is in the body , so is the church in the common-wealth : single they cannot subsist . for there never was nor can there be , any multitude of men , that bodied themselves , into a common-wealth , who agreed not in some kind of religion ; neither can any multitude of men body themselves , into a church , but they must be subject to some kind of government . these two cannot be separated , without the ruine of both . seperation destroying society , wherein consisteth the happinesse of man ; for in heaven , wee cannot bee happy alone , nor on earth without society . these principles are written by the god of order , in the tables of humane nature , which are commonly called , the light or the law of nature . but sin and time having so fullyed that character , that it was scarce legible by posterity . god was pleased to revive it againe , to his peculiar people ; writing it , with his own finger , in tables of stone , to authorize and moralize it , to all generations , for their good , therein giving power to the magistrate to take care , for the keeping and preserving , of both tables ; placing our duty to him , between our duty to god , and towards our neighbour , that hee might looke , for the good of man both wayes . our duty to god , is contayned in fewer precepts , but more words ; it seeming necessary , that god should explaine himselfe , in his own cause , leaving no power to any man , to adde or diminish , or interpret his lawes , but by his own word ; which made moses ▪ though he were a law-giver in israel , yet he would not judge , the gatherer of sticks upon the sabbath day , without consultation with the lord . before the written law , every father of a family was both priest and magistrate , to looke to both ; and the greater the family or society was so much higher was the magistrate , and reverenced with more honour , as being the common parent , caring for the whole country . this law therefore of nature , being the very dictate , of god himself , may not improperly be termed a divine law . there were also other lawes , which god prescribed by his servant moses , to the people of jsrael , politicke and iudiciall lawes , for preserving humane society , and governing the common-wealth ; and ceremoniall lawes , for the outward manner and forme of his publike worship ; for performance whereof , he ordained divers sacrifices and sacrificers ; allotting maintainance for them both ▪ but when the time fore-appointed came , that god would restore man , to that happinesse , he had deservedly lost , by the sin of the first adam ; he sent his onely son iesus christ the second adam , in the flesh ; who after he had manifested his divine power to the world , by his doctrine and miracles , did by his last words on the crosse , and by the first visible testimony of the power of his death finish and consummate the law , and rent from the top to the bottome , the vaile of separation ; by both declaring , the necessity of types , and ceremonies , places and times of worship differences of people , sacrifices and sacrificers , fixed and impropriated maintainance ; for any of them , was no longer to bee continued strictly in the letter , although a morall equity shadowed by them was to be perpetuall . neither did our saviour in the constitution of his evangelicall church , revive any of them , nor ordain any set form of worship , rule for goverment , or a certained and speciall maintainance for his ministers ; but only repaired and restored man , to that way and manner of worship , which adam had in his innocency , prescribing him , to serve god the father of spirits , in spirit and in truth , without otherwise confining him to time , place , gesture , posture , or other circumstances , which of their own nature ▪ are not permanently confineable . in like sort , the blessed apostles , whom christ sent into the world , to publish the glad tydings of salvation , laid no other foundation , as necessary thereunto , then iesus christ , and what he had laid himself , for they were only master builders , on that corner stone christ iesus . what they declared to any people converted to the gospel concerning any rule of order , about the outward man , or his christian behaviour , in publike service ; it was only a temporary advise , sutable to the times , countries , and occasions , wherin they lived ; not universally binding to all nations , and generations to come . in their dayes , there was neither christian state , nor christian magistrate , nor any publike power , to countenance or appoint the outward government of the church ; in default whereof , it was necessary for them , to make such orders and constitutions as might serve ▪ for those present times ; neverthelesse , as christ himself , took upon him , no civill authority , so , gave hee none ; to his apostles , nor they , to the ministers succeeding . for when christ was required , to divide an inheritance , betwixt two brothers , he asked with indignation , who had made him a iudge or divider over them ; and when the case of the incestuous person , fell out at corinth , st. paul inflicted no temporall punishment upon him , only advised the brethren , that whiles hee stood obstinate against all reproof , to shun his company , and cast him out of their communion , that the shame thereof , making him sensible of his sinne , it might beget repentance ; and make him returne , to the fellowship of true beleevers . i verily thinke , that if all the directions , which the apostles have left recorded in scripture , were laid in one view together ; no man , nor multitudes of men , how learned soever could collect , or frame out of them all , an exact body of church government , in all the parts and circumstances thereof , to bee imposed as a divine ▪ binding , infallible rule , upon all christian churches and kingdomes , in the world . indeed where we meet , with any councels or constitutions of the blessed apostles , who were holy men , indued with more immediate power , from christ , with a larger measure of the spirit of truth , and consequently with a greater certainty of judgment , then any of their ministeriall successors ; we may rely upon them , and make them our patternes ; only remembring the distinction of times , that the apostolicall church , was in infancy , and under persecution , and the english , in full growth and dominion ; in so much , that in the framing of ecclesiasticall orders , an eye and regard must ever bee had , to the civill government , which alwayes aymeth at the publike good , both of church and state , wherein the church is lodged . the ministers doubtlesse , have power by their office , to advise and instruct , exhort and rebuke out of the word , in a brotherly way , but it is as doubtlesse , that the power is in the christian magistrate , upon hearing their advice , to constitute and establish , under the naturall notion of order , such decrees , as upon due debate , and deliberation , they shall find most wholsome and agreeable to the present state . this is also to be observed , that no man ought to take unto himself , the office and honour , to minister for his brethren , in things pertaining unto god , unlesse hee be lawfully called thereunto ▪ christ himself , was sent by the father , and annointed by the spirit , to his heavenly office ; by christ , the holy apostles were sent into the world , from whom they had their immediate commission , and the blessed apostles following their pattern , did not only send and appoint pastors over all churches in their present times ; but also lest rules and directions , for ordaining all others , for the time to come , till the worlds end . i make no question , but god doth in our dayes , call and stirre up many to this holy office ▪ by particular motions of his spirit ; yet that exempteth not the persons so called , from manifesting and approving their vocation , according to the rules left in scripture : where we are commanded , to try the spirits of men , whither they be of god ; and the spirits of the prophets , peculiarly such as are called to the ministery , are subject to the prophets , as fitting to be tryed and examined by them , who by long experience ; and without reproach , have conversed in the church , and dispenced the misteries of salvation . from this brief and plaine deduction , i shall lay down some few positions , as ground-lines of the discourse ensuing . 1. that god hath by his son , taken away all ties of necessity , for observing any part or parcell of the ceremoniall law . 2. that god by christ , hath restored men to that spirituall worship , which adam had in time of his innocency . 3. that christ hath not appointed , any set or absolute form of government in his church , binding to all times and nations . 4. that whatsoever the apostles wrote concerning outward government , it was not ▪ in nature of an universall law , but only by way of order and advice , answerable to these primitive times and occasions . 5. that the ministers of the church , as they are ministers , have no temporall power , iudicature , or maintenance positively and particularly alotted them , by christ or his apostles , but only in the generall , that it be sufficient and plentifull , that thereby they may be examples unto others of hospitality and good workes , learning the manner and speciall determination , to the christian magistrate and the lawes of the land . 6. that the christian magistrate hath the highest power , of ordering and governing the church of god , which is a visible company , not onely of ministers and officers , but of all beleevers ; and is intrusted to him , forasmuch , as the church is in the common-wealth , and not the common-wealth in the church . 7. whosoever hath a mission , to undertake the ministery , ought first to find himself inwardly called , then undergo a lawfull tryall , and receive approbation , with the prayers and benediction of the presbitery . now concerning this great controversie in our common-wealth , about the government of the church . i shall from these principles , according to the small ability god hath given me , unbyassed , by any opinion or affection , to any kind of government , nor yet for any covetous , nor ambitious desire or designe in my self , but meerly ayming at the good of gods church and of my country ; set down , how i conceive , our supream magistrate ; may establish such a church government , as might preserve amity among brethren , yet not oppugne any rules christ hath left behind him . the two houses of parliament , have already , upon ripe deliberation , passed an ordinance for a presbyteriall government , with all the limitations thereof : which government i am verily perswaded ; if it be duly executed ▪ will prove the best moderator , betwixt dissenting brethren , for it is such a government , as taketh away the ill and exorbitance of any other , reserving that which is good in them , and so much the better it ought to be liked ; because it disliketh those parties that oppose it ; for surely hee is esteemed the best and most unpartiall moderator , who in reconciling parties in such indifferences ▪ displeaseth them all ; yet if this government , may not have so much as an vmpires power , to constrain obedience ; or else putteth not , that power in practise ; then it will be vilified , and of no esteem . therefore that it may not prove a dead uselesse letter , i doe first conceive , that it should be established with penalties , and put in present execution , and made positive ; without allowing a limited time unto it for approbation . for without that , it may be altered in whole or in part , at the judgement of the makers ▪ but with that , it would leave every man , doubtfull and indifferent ▪ which will lessen or take away , the true value , and operation of it . in the next place , i conceive , as an especiall wheel ▪ of this motion , and a strong fortification of the government , that care be taken to keep and incourage the ministers of the word , in a perpetuall and constant practise , of their function ; and to remove all occasions , which might any way divert them , from their holy calling . howsoever it comes about , i know not , but certain it is , that ●●thence , the church was poysoned , with a temporall revenue and carnall estimation , given to ministers , for their masters sake ▪ pride and covetousnesse , have predominated amongst them ; who have bin , and ever will bee ; the roots of much evill , and combustions in those states and churches , where they have had any power ▪ so farre as forgetting their calling , and the patterne of christ ▪ they have ever bin observed ▪ for the maintenance of their secular pomp and greatnesse ▪ to bee the chiefe hinderers of reformation to the purity and humility of the gospell ; knowing it must first begin at themselves . therefore for the rooting out and preventing ambition among them , it might bee good to take away those titles of separation and division , which have had their originall from 〈◊〉 . as to be called clergy , as if they were holy and the people prophane ; or divines , as if they were all heavenly , and 〈◊〉 formed of the same earth , with the people ; certain●y they can have 〈◊〉 higher title , then to be called ministers of the gospell : bringing from god to man , the glad tyding ; of reconciliation and 〈◊〉 ▪ for place and dignities , they are either officiall , which are 〈◊〉 taken away ; or personall , which should be left , to the 〈◊〉 discretion of every man ; for if in humility , they strive 〈◊〉 behind all men in place , and before them in goodness , the people will be ready to give , even their eyes , in testimony of their love and estimation of them . i shall forbeare in this place to set down particularly , how covetuousnesse may bee also removed from the ministery ; because the remedy thereof , as of many other things conducing to the good of the church ; how religion may bee kept and perpetuated in truth and purity ; freed from the danger of relapsing to popery ; how the ministers may be for ever provided with a plentifull maintenance over all the kingdome , how their widowes and orphans , ( if there be need ) may be relieved , are already plainly and largely laid down , in another treatise , by a well-wisher , to the peace of our sion ; which wayteth only for a fit occasion to bee produced . wherein no new charge is laid upon the people ; but only part of the pious donations of our ancestors to the church , and good uses , are rectifyed and reduced . this being done , it may then seeme necessary , so to hedge and defend this government , held forth by parliament ; that it may neither receive damage ▪ from enemies without , not bee uncharitably torne and shattered ▪ by schismes and opinions within . it hath pleased god so miraculously to blesse this kingdome ; that we have thrown off the yoke of rome , which neither we nor our fathers could bear . the pope , and the bishops , the head , and the tayle , are sent back from whence they came . the gap which they had made , is by gods goodnes , and care of this parliament , filled up , with a moderate presbyteriall government , sufficiently armed to keep out the wild boare , that destroyed our vineyard , and that common implacable enemy from returning . but there are some little foxes yet among us , that earth in our ground , and annoy our vineyard , and by craft or rudenesse , weaknesse or wilfulnesse , bring scandals upon our holy profession . that therefore ; our church may injoy her peace , and bee onely militant against sin and satan . the magistracie must take care , to preserve it from disturbance . as the present conjuncture of our church standeth ; they who seeme most to distast or oppose this kind of government , are known amongst us , by the name of dissenting brethren ; which are of two sorts . rigid presbyterians , independants . i know not , how nor by whom these names , were invented , but i make use of them , as current termes , by which they are distinguished . though indeed ▪ in one seeming regard , disclaiming as some say the power of the magistrate , they are both independants , in effect ; for so they both would hang on their own hinges ▪ nor have any other judge of their religious actions , but themselves ; a thing wholly inconsistent with our civil governmen . t of the rigid presbyterians ▪ we may account , as of younger brethren , men and minds ●eerer a kin to ours : yet rather ayming to invest themselves , with will and power ▪ then , in humility submit to the ordinances of the magistrate , who is the ordinance of god . yea , they seem to bee so greedy of this absolute power ▪ over the actions and consciences of men , that rather then want it , they will derive their right from jesus christ ▪ making it iure divino to be in themselves . this was also the bishops claime , and these brethren seem to set up , episcopacy disguised ; for they drive at the same ends , shunning to give an account of their actions to the supreame magistrate , and subjecting all men , to a seperated government of their own erection ; but because i have already shown , that no such divine sanction , ratifyed by christ or his apostles , can be found , in the records of holy scripture ; and i shall hereafter prove more at large , that this pretence , directly crosseth , and supplanteth the ordinance and obedience of the eivill magistrate , which are indeed jure divino . i shall desire these our brethren , at their leysure , to let us know , whither christ did ever appoint any thing to bee universally received jure divino , which was not necessary to salvation ; and whither lawfull obedience to the magistrate in outward government of the church , neither adding nor diminishing from the precepts of christ , necessary to salvation ; be an impediment thereunto , or prejudice to any mans conscience . in the meane time , be they intreated , in the feare of god , and by the love of brethren ▪ to lay aside these ungrounded opinions , and prefer the peace and unity of the church , before any needlesse disputes , which may breed a rupture in the common-wealth . the other sort called independants , goe a degree further , most of them refusing to mingle with us , in the ordinances of gods worship ▪ and communion of saints , and when they are desired to shew their reasons , their strongest plea is , that so long , as they are not convinced in their judgement , they ought not , to bee constrained in their consciences , nor forced , to assent to that , which they disapprove ; and this indeed is no unbrotherly plea , but some say they slay not there , requiring further a liberty of conscience , not only to be subject , or not subject , to the said government , but to have also a toleration , to set up another government against it , under the same authority , that disallowes it , telling us that wee ought not , to bruise the broken reed , nor quench the smoaking flax , nor offend our weak brethren , for whom christ dyed . whether this bee ( as some say ) only a popular flag ▪ to call in multitudes , to the standard of liberty or not , i shall bestow a little time , to search and sift , this point to the bran : and for the more orderly cleering thereof , i will lay down , as i have formerly done , some few assertions which i presume , will not bee denyed , on either side ; the opening whereof , will discover the truth , wee seek for , and make the objections , that obscure it , vanish . 1. that the nature of conscience is so free in it selfe , that it cannot be constrained , by any power of man . 2. that there is no rule , to bind the conscience , but onely the infallible word of god . 3. that the christian magistrate judging and decreeing by that rule , ought to be obeyed , for conscience sake . for the first point , it will not be amisse to looke into the nature of liberty , and then of conscience , from whence will appeare the unconstrainednesse thereof . liberty in generall is a faculty of the will , whereby it is enabled to accept or refuse any medium or object represented to it as conducible to its end ▪ this liberty is taken divers wayes ; there is a naturall , a civill and a supernaturall or divine . naturall liberty wherein we are borne , is a faculty of willing and nilling , flying or following ▪ chusing or refusing , doing or not doing any thing in order to the conservation of a naturall state . the subject thereof is properly the will ▪ and the objects good or evill in order to preservation . civill liberty is a freedome which we exercise under the constitutions of some politicall society . the naturall liberty of every particular man , would bee the greatest servitude of all . hence happily wee have leges a ligando , which doe not permit us the roving liberty of nature , to choose or refuse doe or not doe what naturally we list . the will cannot be constrained in the act of willing ( for it were a contradiction to will unwillingly ) but by a civill power it may bee restrained from the effect in some penalty prescribed . it 's to be observed , that this civill liberty in some respects , is both larger and narrower then the naturall : it is larger , because in a civill constitution the preservation of all men is better caution'd and cared for ▪ and it is narrower , because many things which wee might all naturally doe , are restrained by the lawes of society . here is therefore a liberty , but still under some power coercive , or rather corrective of naturall liberty : so that wee may well say , when a man is released out of prison , hee is set at liberty , though he be still under the civill tye of the law ; and when he hath payed his debts , that hee is freed of his bonds , yet so as alwayes to be bound with those of civill society : and because we are exempted from the will and tyranny of the prince , wee are called free-men , having the liberty and protection of our lawes , though otherwise , they bind us to obedience : in this place all kind of dispensations , pardons , releasments , absolutions , exemptions and the like ; are said to give us a civill liberty , by taking of some restraint . supernaturall liberty , is the restitution from naturall servitude ; for pure nature , wherein man was created , had a perfect liberty ; but nature corrupted by sin , fell into slavery ; from wh●nce , it can onely bee restored by grace . conscience , is a faculty of the soule , which fitteth in the throne , and hath a superintendency , and dominion over the whole man ; as it were a lieutenant deputy , under god . nothing escapeth ●●e court of conscie●ce : hither are brought the errours of the vnderstanding , the depravations of the will , the tumults of the affections , the distempers of the mind , the disorders of the body , to receive their doom , to be approved or disapproved , condemned or acquitted . she is furnished with all things , concurring to judgement ; she hath right to accuse , credit to witnesse , power to judge ; in her , these things are nor incompatible . when she accuseth , you cannot implead her , for her bill is good in law . when shee witnesseth , you cannot disprove her , for she was present at the fact ; when she judgeth , you cannot appeal from her , for there is no higher power on earth . therefore let us take the conscience of man , eyther in his estate corrupted , or regenerated ; we see all humain power is below , and consequently can have no power to constrain her . as the sight , cannot be forced , to discern that cloth black , which is white ; nor the tast , to judge honey , bitter , which is sweet ; no more can the conscience be any way compelled , to allow that which she condemneth , or condemn that which she alloweth . there bee two engines , commonly made use of , to b●tter the consciences of men ; sophistication , and persecution , first to ensnare men , with deceitfull shewes , and arguments ; then if that will not serve , to fright and terrifie men , with violence and torments ; these two , are exquisitely planted , and practised ▪ in the kingdome of antichrist , by that old engineere of all mischiefe , the divell . where the iesuits and other emissaries , docompasse sea and land , and are sent abroad , like frogs and locusts , to seduce and captivate poore proselites , making them seaven times more , the children of the devill ; and the inquisition , that court of darkenesse , and antichamber of hell ▪ is set up , as a chief piller of popedome , to torture mens bodies , and rack their consciences , and drive men to death and desperation . yet all this , can goe no farther , then to force and afflict , and kill the body , but the conscience still triumpheth , shee is free ; though the hands bee bound ▪ and the feet be fettered ; this was well known , by that constant martir who stood out , the brunt of both . — disputare non possum mori possum . dispute i cannot , but i can dye ; and so refute both your arguments , and your torments . death is the uttermost , that the power and malice of man can doe ; and no man , but hee may if he will , as well dye with a free conscience , as live in it . but some man may say ; have not many for feare of death or disgrace , renownced the truth , against their conscience ? many have indeed , but in doing thereof , they have rather defiled their conscience , then forced it , for still it is their own voluntary act , judging by a false , erronious light , that it is better for them , to forsake christ , then to lose their estates , honours , or their lives ▪ and that it is their own act ; appeareth , by the punishment , which the justice of god , will lay upon them , for their own sin ; and not for the sin of others , who went about to constrain them . 2. neverthelesse , the conscience sitteth like a queene , i● the soule of man , commanding over all , and uncontrouled by any humane power . yet shee vaileth and submitteth to the higher powers , of god and his word , by which she standeth bound , to give full obedience , under the fearfull penalties , of rebellion and sin . the reason is , because the word of god is infallible , but the word of man , very deceitfull ; any thing propounded without the word of god , unlesse it bee demonstrative in it selfe , is subject to errour , though it bee never so well meant . but when the conscience , findeth in the word , a bottome , to fix , and to stand upon , shee judgeth it , needlesse any longer , to halt or hold off ; to doubt , or dispute , but shutteth her eyes , and believeth . the conscience of her selfe , hath in every man , a naturall light , though it bee but dim and clouded , this was never quite extinguished , by the fall . by which divers peoples and nations , who never heard of jesus christ , nor had any glimpse of the light of his word , have bin ble to discerne , not onely the truth of naturall things , but also groped after supernaturall ; acknowledging a god by his workes , tho●gh not knowing , how to worship him by his word ; and by the improvement of this light , they have attained , to many excellent morall precepts , for the planting of vertue , in the hearts of men , and to admirable lawes and constitutions , for the government of them , in societies and statutes . whereof many of them in both kinds , have been ratifyed and approved by the light of the word revealed . which plainely declareth unto us , that the naturall light of conscience , is a beame , and remainder , of that divine light , which was at first infused into our natures , afterwards obscured , by disobedience ; and againe restored by regeneration , in the soules of all true believers . all light wee know , transmitteth , and disputeth it selfe . ad modum recipientis , to the capacity of the receiver . it leaveth stone wals in darknesse , but shadeth it self , thorow glasse-windowes . now , transparent bodies , are like illuminated soules , where iesus christ , the light of the world entereth , there is light indeed ; there the consciences of men , are so already enlightened , that they can judge of all things , and are judged of nothing , forasmuch , as they swerve not from the touchstone of judgement , the word of god . now if any shall say , that the word of god is called a law of liberty , rather freeing , then binding us up . i answer ; that it is , truly so called , because it freeth us , from the bondage of sinne , the servitude of lust , and captivity of satan ; but by the same reason , that it releaseth us , from sinne , it bindeth us to obedience , and to the service of god , which is perfect freedome . there is a friendly way in the conversation of men ; to bind those , who keepe a loose governance , of themselves , from hurtfull things ; some from wine , some from fruit , some from unwholsome foode , to which they have an irregular appetite , such is the singular love of god towards us , to tye up , by the law of his word , our unruly and inordinate appetites , from the pursuit of sinfull and unlawfull things , which would prove our poyson , and perdition , in which regard we have great cause , to rejoyce in these bonds ; which are not irons of imprisonment , but bonds of perfection ; retaining and with holding us , from relapsing into sin , and leading of us , into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god , in these bones there is no constraint , for god himselfe who made us , by his word , and can dissolve us , at his pleasure , will not use his power to constraine us ; he delighteth not in a forced worship , but onely obligeth us to a willing obedience , by setting of us free . 3. the conscience therefore , unconstrained in it self , yet tyed up by the word standeth bound , to obey these lawes and decrees of the magistrate , which are made by the light and the rule thereof , for the voice of the magistrate speaking according to gods word is like the voice of god among men , where god hath spoken clearly and expresly to the spirit and conscience of man there need no other lawes , but his owne , and so he hath done , in all matters , that concerne the substance of his owne worship , or our salvation , but in such things , which he hath not punctually determined , onely left them wrapped up in generall precepts ; it behoveth us to learne from his deputies upon earth asking councell of the lord what his mind and pleasure is , and such for the most part , are the outward rites , formes , and circumstances of his evangelicall worship , these things fall within the compasse of order and decency , which are rather civill notions then devine , yet as armies in the field , easily fall into a rout , not well arrayed , so assemblies in the church , and churches in the common-wealth prove but rude , and tumultuous meetings , if they be not decently ordered , a lute or violl is seen plaid upon ; but there is much adoe , to tune many instruments , into one consort ; private christians may dispose of themselves , in their owne houses , but when they meet , in a publike body , they must be tuned by the publike magistrate ; the world would never have stood , without societies , nor can societies hold without government , neither can there be any government where some rule not , and some obey , all the question is , to set due limits and bounds to the civill government ; wherein i conceive , that there is the selfe , the same measure , betwixt the magistrate and the conscience , for as the word of god bindeth the conscience to obey , so it prescribeth , the magistrate to governe ; otherwise if , as the high priest forbad the apostles , to teach in the name of jesus ; so the magistrate shall impose any thing upon the people , contrary to divine law , or the word revealed , the case is plain , that we ought to obey god rather then men . these rubbs thus remooved in our way , i shall proceed , to the solving of such objections , as are commonly made by those brethren , that challenge a liberty and exemption from this lawfull obedience . 1. first , they build upon our owne ground ; alledging , that since the nature of conscience , is so free and voluntary in it self , it must needs be , a manifest violation of her freedome to constraine her , by laws , or penalties , or impositions of men . to which i answer , that we must remember to put a difference , betwixt the constraint , and the restraint of mens consciences , no law nor power of man , can constraine the conscience , in her voluntary act ; to goe against her owne light , or approve that which she condemneth , or say to her self , conscience , i lye , no , she may and ought , rather to suffer , then undergoe such a constraint ▪ but the lawes of man , may so farre , restrain their liberty , that she produce not the act , of her private sence and freedome , into hurtfull effects , such as may endanger and disturbe our christian and publike peace ▪ it hath bin alwaies observed that it is as naturall and appetitions for error , to beget error , & opinion , to spread opinion ; as for one kind , to generate and multiply the same , insomuch ▪ when an erronious conscience , will not be limited nor contained within it self , it may and ought to be restrained and inhibited from infecting others , and dispersing the contagion . 2. secondly , it may be againe objected , that although it be granted , nothing can bind the conscience , but the pure word of god , yet forasmuch , as no word of scrirture is produced , expresly confirming this from of polity and presbyterian government , which we are commanded to obey ; it will plainly follow , that the consciences of men , are therein left unto their liberty . to give a full answer hereunto , it would be necessary to take the frame of this government in pieces ▪ as the levites did the tabernacle , when they removed their tents , and then bring it piece by piece , to the light of gods word , to see what is thereby confirmed , and what unfirmed ; but because this is already done by divers worthy brethren , of the holy calling , i shall forbeare to insert , their volumes , into these few sheets , and shall onely say , that this kind of government , is either expresly , or by good consequence included , and allowed by the scripture , as not repugnant to it in any thing : of the presbytery it selfe , where the government is inherent , i heare no question made , but that it is expresly mentioned in the scripture , the main doubt and difference is , whither it be independent , in particular congregations , subordinate to synods and assemblies , as the urgencies and occasions of the church may require ; those brethren , that maintain independency of single congregations stand upon a ground , feeble and unfirm , saying that in the apostles time , there were no other churches , but onely congregationall , in which alone , all government was confined . this assertion will hold no further true , then in such churches as were gathered whiles christ was upon earth : then indeed we may conceive , that the first evangelicall church , consisted in the congregation of the apostles , and afterwards of the disciples ; but when christ ascended into heaven , and the holy ghost descended upon earth , we shall find , that when the multitude of believers increased so much in severall cities , as one congregation could not contain them ; their manner was to distribute themselves into severall meetings , accordinp to the commodity of their habitations in the said cities , or else as it might most stand with their safety . now th'apostles themselves , and their coadjutors th'evangelists and other founders of churches under them , did usually constitute and ordain elders in every city , but not in every congregation , who had power in common and colle●gially to teach and govern the whole flock , though severally congregated in the same city . thus we read of the elders of hierusalem , of antiochia , of ephesus , of corinth , of philippi , and many mo , where the numbers of the faithfull were inlarged . whereby it appeareth , that in the apostles times , and the times succeeding , those primitive churches ▪ were city churches , consisting of divers congregations , and not congregationall , as is pretended , independent within themselves . true it is , the city church was commonly independent within it selfe , but thereof the reason was , because the cities in their civill policy , were free and unsubjected ; otherwise the government of the city church , reached as farre as the jurisdiction of the city . if all this be true , as it is made most evident , by the unpartiall searchers of antiquity , we may herein observe a pattern , though not a precept for the subordination of churches ; for if in the apostles time , a city church consisted of many congregations , by the same proportion , according to the increase of beleevers , a provinciall church , may consist of many cities , and a nationall church of many provinces , and the catholick church of many nations ; the lowest step was laid by the apostles , the highest step is a point of our belief , and from the lowest to the highest , there is no passage but by gradations , which is the scale of that government , now held forth by parliament . but to this may be replyed ; all this , that you say , is but conjecturall , and that hath no power to bind the conscience , which must have a word infallible to rest upon . to this i answer ▪ that for the substance of this government , wee have the infallible word of god , whereof neither part doubteth ; for the frame and circumstances thereof , we have also the word of man as infallible , as mans can be , for that we may take upon good trust , to be morally infallible , which proceeds from men , who neither deceive , nor are deceived . now i suppose , that the parliament hath so fully declared , their sincerity , and discharged their trust , in establishing this government , that the most opposite thereunto cannot admit of such an unworthy thought , as if they intended to impose any government upon the people , which in conscience , they thought not most agreeable to gods word ; which as it cleareth them , from the least suspicion of deceiving , so it is also manifest , that they have used the best , and most approved means allowed to mortall man , not to be deceived ; for in this waighty worke they have begun , with the invocation of gods infallible spirit , which is the author and leader into all truth ; and have assembled learned and religious men of the holy calling , to enter into free deliberation , and debate , of that kind of church-government , which they should find most consonant to gods word ; and if after all this , we can imagine they have erred in their decrees ; how can we , without presumption , conceive the judgement of any private men to be more infallible . now if any shall think that this kind of government in every part thereof is established , with such a perpetuall decree , that it can never be changed ; we must know that many things may be infallibly true , yet not alwayes necessary to be continued . true in the author of truth , and true in the means of truth ▪ and yet may be laid aside , when they are no longer usefull for edification , an example hereof , we may see in the ceremoniall law , which being appointed by god himselfe , no man will doubt , but it was infallibly true , and being abolished by the same power that ordained it , no man need doubt , but that it was justly removed . infallibility doth not alwayes inferre immutability . things are not onely continued for their truth , but also for their goodnesse , and fitnesse , and applicablenesse to present use . so long as the ceremoniall law , was to indure , it was of divine infallibility , needfull for the church of the jewes , and during that time , immutable , by any power but divine : but when the evangelicall law succeeded , which by fulfilling , ended the ceremoniall ; the worship of god became more spirituall , leaving the decencies , circumstances , and outward manner , to the humane infallibility of the magistrate , set in authoriiy by god , whose decrees in such matters , are unchangeable by any inferiour power , yet alterable by the same power that decreed them . moreover the papists object against our doctrine that before luther it was not known in thy world , and the prelates object against our discipline , that before calvin it was never known : by both with aspersions , they think to disgrace our doctrine , and our discipline , putting upon them the stamp of novelty , as though they were but inventions of men . but as our doctrine hath been sufficiently asserted against their calumnies , to be the very doctrine of the spirit of god , left & recorded in the holy scriptures . so it is also plain , that this government of gods church , by the presbytery was known and practised in the world , before either popery or prelacy was in being , both which are indeed novelties , and the very spawn of corrupted men . it is clearly demonstrated from the bosome of antiquity ; that the apostles and evangelists knowing the mind of christ did in all cities and places where they collected churches , ordain a colledge of presbyters called the presbytery , with equall power to feed and govern the same . this form of government continued in the primitive church about 1500 yeares in puritie , and parity . afterwards by pride , and contention of the leaders , bishops were set up above presbyters , and when that equality was once broken there was no stop . then metropolitans were put above bishop , and patriarks above metropolitans , and at the last whereunto all tended , they brought forth that man of sin , or son of perdition the pope , who perked above all ; and hath ever since contrary to the rules of christ and his apostles , maintained by fraud , fire , and blood , a prodigious tyrannie and oppression in the church . b●t there is one testimony more , which we can produce , as a cleare light out of the very darknesse , and dungeon of popery , when there was no day of knowledge in the christian world , but all was overspread with antichristian error , and that was about 500 yeares ago , when god moved waldo a citizen of lions to discover the impostures of the popish church , who drawing after him many disciples were persecuted by the bloody synagogue , and driven from the society of men , into mountains among beasts , which they found lesse savage then their own kind , there they multiplied into many congregations , and spreading themselves into divers places , were called by divers names . then they found it necessary that the worship of god might be perfect among them , to establish a discipline and government over all their churches . in which deliberation they had no pattern to follow , no steps to tread in , no helps from stories or records of antiquity , which were all destroyed or corrupted . their onely guide , and light to direct them was the word of god , which the world was never able to extinguish , and by his divine power was preserved among them . there they sought , and there they found the platform of their discipline , and what was it ? no other then presbyterian ; every congregation governed by pastors , elders and deacons , and as occasion required by a combination of them into synods , councells and assemblies . now if this way was practised among them , wherein they were onely led by divine light . how unjustly do some despise it as a novelty , others reject it as a humane ordinance . when as our own age also , searching in the same holy monuments hath pitched upon the same discipline , as in them held forth to the churches of god . me thinks this would move the spirits of meek and sanctified men not to be wise above sobriety , nor contest against such a cloud of witnesses . for if the primitive apostolicall times ; the middle age of the church under persecution , and now the last generations wherein we live , have all by the light of gods word , and guidance of his spirit , concurred in one and the same discipline . why should any combine against it , or suffer themselves to be perswaded rather to disturb the peace and unity of gods churches , then yield a christian conformity thereunto . 3 but against this power of the magistrate , it may be further objected , that although power be given him , over the bodies and estates , and outward adjuncts of men ; yet the conscience is the peculiar court of god , wherein man hath nothing to do , but by intrusion ; when the body lies in prison , the judge by a habeas corpus can remove it , but when the conscience is under bond , no judge can send a habeas conscientiam , to deliver it , and having no power to release , he can have none to bind it . hereunto i answer , that the magistrate pretendeth not to take power upon himself , as a man equall to his brethren ▪ but the power he hath is derived from the supream power , which he holdeth by commission from god . his office is the ordinance of god , and his power is ordained of god , and so long as he ruleth for good , aiming at the publick order and edification of the church , we read that of necessity he must be obeyed , a double necessity both for fear of bodily punishment , god having put into the magistrates hand a sword of justice , which he hath not done into the ministers ; as also for conscience sake , and fear of divine punishment , for men that make no conscience of breaking the precepts of god shall certainly not go unpunished ; conscience therefore yielding sometimes in lawfull as well as in absolute necessary things , this obedience to the magistrate , is not bound by the will of the magistrate , but by the word of god himself , which , expresly commandeth us to obey the magistrate for conscience sake ; but we no where find that for conscience sake in such things we should disobey him . if any reply that if all this collected and spoken to maintain the power of the magistrate is no more then was before alledged , in the times of episcopall prelacy ; who by giving credit to the magistrate , and the magistrate to their cause imposed and injoyned what they pleased in gods worship , and government of the church . i confesse indeed that they argued very strongly for upholding the authority of the magistrate , so farre , that by exalting his will , they diminished his power , but leaving them in their excesse , i answer , that if their government had been as good as their argument , or had they stuck as close to the word of god , in framing their cannons and injunctions , as they did in asserting the lawfull power of the magistrate , no man could have justly been grieved in conscience , but their government being bad in it self , could not be bettered by the goodnesse of the argument . but it may be rejoyned again , that for all this , the scripture doth no where appoint or confirm this presbyteriall government , as it is held forth and established by the state , and therefore just it is , that men should be left in liberty of their consciences , whether they would conform thereunto or no . this hath in part been answered before . that it is not the mind of the magistrate to compell any man to conform thereunto against his conscience , neither could he do it , although he so intended , and therefore in effect that is but a vain , feigned , and frivolous plea , to pretend that liberty against the magistrate , which no magistrate can constrain , onely as the apostle saith of faith about indifferent things ; hast thou faith , have it to thy self before god . so we may say in this case , hast thou liberty , have it to thy self betwixt god and thee , till he shall give thee a further light , and a liberty to obey , as well as to disobey , but if thou contentest not thy selfe with this sober and moderate liberty ; but whilst also leap over the hedge , and withdraw others from their christian obedience ; then thou runnest upon the sword of the magistrate , which god hath put into his hands for the common good , by which he is bound to restrain thy inordinate and offensive liberty , that it disturbe not the publike peace committed to his charge . to this may be added , that although this presbyteriall government , in every part and parcell thereof , as it is now established , be not expresly commanded in scripture ( as likewise no other kind of government whatsoever ) yet much may be brought for the approbation of it , and to shew that it is repugnant to scripture . first , government by a presbytery , is expresly set down in scripture ; secondly , for execution thereof , some generall rules are also clearly expressed , that all things should be done decently , and in order , without contention , and for edification . thirdly , to whom can we imagine the ordering , and decencies , and edification should belong , but onely to the magistrate , assisted by the advice of gods holy word and ministers , wherein wee find another expresse command , that the magistrate so judging for the good of all , ought to be obeyed for conscience sake . bring we this cause to a paire of scales , and there we shall see it decided ; put into one scale the judgement of the magistrate , into the other the judgement of private men ; put into either , the profession of them both , to make the word of god the rule of their judgement ; put in again , that upon search therein , they meet with two severall governments , neither of them directly commanded ▪ nor directly forbidden , nor yet unconsonant to the word . hitherto the beam goes even betwixt them . search again , what is to be put in more , and we shall find an expresse word of god , commanding every private soule to obey the higher powers , judging and governing for good , and that for conscience sake , put this into the magistrates scale , and it must needs preponderate till we can find any other word , that biddeth the higher power be subject to the lower . and indeed , were there no word of scripture to confirme this truth , the very light of reason might convince us , for if we allow that reason should rule our affections we must also allow the magistrate to rule the people and when any difference ariseth between them in such things wherein they pretend to judge by one and the selfe-same rule , reason requireth that the determination of the magistrate should stand , and that the people should no longer be wise in their own conceit , but be wise with sobriety suffering their judgements to be over-ruled by their rulers , whose office is to watch over them for good in the order of such things ; whiles things are debating every one may have liberty to speake their conscience ▪ but when things are determined ▪ the liberty of conscience must yeild to the duty of obedience , otherwise that sweet harmony would be broken , which god hath set in the world between parties commanding , and parties obeying , wherein alone consisteth the outward happinesse of all societies . in the mean time i am glad to observe , that they disclaim not civill obedience , to the civill power of the magistrate , hoping that in time they will for the same reason cease to contend against this government ▪ for that it is now indeed , or intended to be made a civill sanction , and a statute law . and then denying subjection thereunto ; liberty of conscience may aswell transport them to claim exemption from many other civill lawes . if one of them were accused of murder , and knew in his own conscience that he was innocent ▪ and had beside● twenty witnesses to clear him , yet if one single witnesse shall make oath against him , in behalfe of the king , he shall be condemned by the law . may he not stand upon termes of his liberty , and his innocence , and justly plead that it is against his conscience to obey this law , and suffer sentence being innocent ? suppose another had lived many yeares separated from his wife , in which time she had divers children by another man ; by the law he shall be injoyned to father them all ; may he not plead , that it is against his conscience to take upon him the fathering of another mans children ? many such examples might be brought , wherein the consciences of men seem to have more just pretences , to withdraw their obedience , from such civill lawes , then from this law of government , so fully debated , and ●o duly established . besides , inasmuch , as our brethren require a toleration , of their own government , they do tacitly acknowledge a power in the magistrate , to gratifie them , or deny them ; and consequently , they may also acknowledge , that this power , is either lawfull , or unlawfull ; if it be lawfull , they are with us , bound to obey it ; if unlawfull , they are bound to disprove it ; which when they go ●bout ; godly pens will not be wanting , to endeavour , to give them satisfaction . 4. moreover , it is said by some , that whatsoever is imposed by man in the worship of god , not directly specified in his word , falleth under the condemnation , of will-worship , humane traditions , or inventions of men . this is too large an assertion to be ever well proved , for it is true neither way . neither whatsoever is omitted in scripture , to be rejected as wil-worship ; nor whatsoever is recorded in scripture to be retained of perpetuall necessity . we read , that the first administration of baptism , used to be performed in open rivers , which with us would be thought rude and dangerous ; the saints had a custome in the close of their holy meetings , to salute one another with a holy kisse , which in our congregations might be thought carnall and lascivious ; they also were wont , after the celebration of the blessed eucharist , to bring their provisions together , and make love-feast , which among us would be esteemed loose and luxurious . when a brother or sister was sick , the elders of the church were sent for , to pray over them , and anoint them with oile , which in our visitations might be held superstitious , or perhaps fitter for a physitian then a minister . all these customes , and many others passed with edification , in the innocency and infancy of these first times ; which not consorting with ours are universally disused . on the other side , the times and places of diuine worship , the seats and gestures of the worshippers , the manner of publike praying , and preaching , of singing of psalms ▪ of collecting almes , of assembling and dismissing the people , the forme of administration and receiving the holy sacraments , and many other things concerning the outward publick communion of saints , are for the most part undeclared in scripture , yet in full use and practise among us without offence , that therefore must be understood for a wil-worship , and humane invention , which is set up for some humane and carnall end , repugnant to gods word , and to his glory . 5. there be yet remaining two more objections , arising from two contrary grounds , one from pretence of weaknesse , th'other from presumption of strength . those that lay forth the tendernesse of conscience , forget not to produce those heavenly exhortations , whereof the scripture is full ; that we should not bruise the broken reede , nor offend the least of the little ones , nor cast stumbling blocks before our brethren , nor use our liberty to the destroying of the weake , but rather spread the covering of love over our brethrens infirmities , to raise up one another in the spirit of meeknesse ; to beare with the weake , and please one another for good edification ; yea , rather to abstain from matters , which we think lawfull , then to compell others to things , they judge unlawfull : this they say was the doctrine and the pattern , which christ , and his apostles taught , and practised among the faithfull ; which , because i intend not to deny , i shall onely examine , how fitly they are applyed to the controversie in hand , and whether they be of force , to absolve weake brethren , from their due obedience , to gods magistrate . we are therefore to understand , that all those excellent rules set down by the apostles , for tendering of weak consciences , receive a double limitation ; first , they were limited to the state of those times , with respect to the condition of private christians , and their carriage one towards another . for in the apostles age , nor long after , there was in the world neither christian , kingdome , common-wealth , nor magistrate , whereby these rulers , were neither given to them , who were not then in being , nor for ought we find , intended so for them , when god should raise them , up in his church . the contrary rather appeareth ; for christ himselfe comming to set up a spirituall kingdome , in his church , intended onely to pull down the kingdom of satan , but not the kingdomes of the world , those he left standing , not refusing , to pay for himself and his apostle , tribute to caesar , nor yet to answer before the courts and tribunalls of the jewes . after christs example , th'apostles were very carefull to instruct the faithfull , that they should walke with circumspexion , without blame or reproach , lest if they should transgresse the law ▪ or commit scandalls , or fall into divisions among themselves , they should make the name of god , and that holy profession , which they had undertaken to be blasphemed among the heathen ; ordaining them moreover to make prayers , and supplications for all in authority , and to give them obedience for conscience sake , indeed the gospell is called a law of liberty , because through christ it freeth us from the bondage of sinne , the slavery of satan , and the feare of death , not because , it dischargeth us of our christian duty and obedience to the magistrate ; in which case , it giveth no liberty nor exemption . from whence we may conclude , that if christ and his apostles subjected the beleevers of those times , both by their precept and practise , to unbe●ieving powers ; it was never their meaning , to exempt the faithfull of our times , from their due obedience , to chrsitian and believing magistrates . secondly , these evangelicall rules , for the ease of tender consciences , respected especially indifferent things . the christians of those dayes consisted of two sorts ; the converted jewes , and converted gentiles . the jewes trained up in the ceremoniall law , which they knew was appointed by god , made a conscience of meats , and dayes , and other rites , and rudiments of the time , as yet not convinced that they were abolished by the comming of christ . these were then the weake christians . on the other side , the gentiles were fully instructed in their liberty , that they might use them , or not use them , as they pleased ; they were then the strong christians ; the apostle therefore , to lay the foundation of charity aright , and preserve these dissenting brethren in the unity of the spirit , and bond of peace ▪ giveth these rules about indifferent things ; that the strong should not despise the weake , nor the weake ▪ censure the strong , because whether they eat , or eat not , they do it ▪ to the lord , and are of him accepted ; and being both accepted of the lord , they ought not to be condemned ▪ by one another . in this case therefore , things , by nature indifferent , should make no difference betwixt brethren ; but so to be used , or not used , that now and then , for charity sake , the expediency of them , should suspend their lawfulnesse . this is the apostles doctrine , instructing private christians , about indifferent things . which though they reach not , the magistrate in his office , yet they do , in his profession ; having given up his name to christ , and living in a christian society . and hath our religious magistrate transgressed these rules ? let us see what he hath done , for the reliefe of tender consciences ; many grievances were complained of , in the episcopall times , which the parliament hath removed ; they have taken away consecration of dayes and places , the superstition of meats and drinks , images and altars , crosses and surplices ; the usurpation of spirituall courts , and temporall bishops ; which were all abused with a danger to introduce popery and idolatry : will not these things , satisfie weake and tender consciences , unlesse they take away government also , which is commanded , and sanctified by the word ? therefore we must know , that government of the church , in publike assemblies , is no indifferent thing , nor to be reckoned in their number ; god is not the author of anarchy and confusion ; but of order , comlinesse , and peace : and when , the manner of government , and gods worship , in the circumstances thereof , are rightly ordered , according to the light of nature , and christian prudence , deducted from the generall rules set down in the word , and setled by just and lawfull authority . it is no longer left to the liberty of any man , subject to the same authority , to conform , or not conforme thereunto ▪ as though it were a thing indifferent , much lesse , to pretend , that because their consciences cannot approve thereof , it should be permitted to them , to set up another government ; which seemeth to be a most unreasonable demand , that whiles they deny obedience , to the magistrates lawes , they should neverthelesse seek for liberty and power from them , to overthrow their own orders , and make them , crosse shinns , with their own authority . the power of the magistrate and liberty purchased by christ , do not destroy , but support one another ; for they are both truths , avowed in the word , and no truth can overthrow another . and if any man say , that a weak conscience , though it be in an error , yet till it be convinced , should sin , in obeying the truth ; it may be replyed à fortior● ▪ that the magistrate determining the truth , cannot tolerate any error , without sinning against his conscience , and partaking of those errors , he condemneth . 6. but the other objection , proceeding from a conceit of strength , marcheth with more assurance ; for some imagine , that forasmuch , as they are justified by grace ▪ and freed from sin , and heirs of the promise ; they are consequently in a state of pe●ection , able to fulfill the law of god , and delivered from all lawes of men . for , lex non ponitur justo ; they have no need of repentance , being secur'd from falling . nor much of faith , being already in fruition ▪ they are a law unto themselves ▪ under no magistrate , above all penalty , as if they were out of the flesh , having shaken off frailty and mortality , and climed up , to the new jerusalem , where there is neither sin nor sorrow . this being a sweet fancy to them that are possessed with all , will hard●y suffer it selfe to be removed , by force of argumentation : otherwise we might say ; that never any man , was without sin , but christ alone , who was like to man in all things , sin excepted . that the blessed apostle felt a law in his members ▪ which made him doe that he would not ▪ and will , that he did not . he biddeth us work out our salvation , with fear and trembling , not with surquedry and presumption ; when we have done our best , and seem to be most perfect ▪ we are but unprofitable servants . many such divine testimonies , might be brought , to convince this opinion ; but it refuteth it selfe , being contrary to the rule of faith , and condition of humanity . we must not think , that the grace of god , worketh against his will ; his will is ▪ that we should be militant , in this life ; wherefore we must not expect to be triumphant , till the warre be done : his will is , that we should grow to our full stature by degrees ; and scale the ladder of heaven , not be taken up in a whirlwind . his will is , that we should be tempted and buffeted , and fall and rise ; that seeing our frailty and our misery , we should seek for the renewing of his grace , and every day beg , our daily pardon , more duly , then our daily bread . forasmuch as by strength of nature , we may abstain awhile from food , but by corruption of nature , we cannot abstain awhit from sin . this error puffing up the hearts of unstable men , hath heretofore brought forth furious , and pernicious effects . the story of john a leyden , and knipperdolling , and of their phrensies at munster , is not yet forgotten . i pray god our times be not pregnant , of some such monster . what is the meaning , that so many in our dayes , separate from their brethren , as if all others were prophane ? why do they gather in heaps together , like biles and ulcers , drawing the corruption with them , and yet say the body is unclean ? in such manner , began they of munster ; they took upon them a garb of simplicity , they seemed grave and dejected , fervent in long prayers , full of revelations , lamenting the fashions and prophanesse of the times , contemning honours , despising money , and neglecting matrimonie , wishing , and weeping for reformation ; by such hypocrisies they captivated , weak and wandring soules , who tooke them onely , to be the little flock of heaven ▪ that lived among wolves , and was persecuted on earth . till having made up their musters , and assembled their troops , they set up a standard , calling the multitude , into their snare , under the promise , and proclamation of liberty . now the blessed time was come , that the meek ▪ should inherite the earth ; that the kings and potentates , and adonibezecks of this world , who had done dispite and violence to the saints , should be broken with a rod of iron , and dashed in pieces like a potters vessell . thence they fell into revelations , and found it written in the beams of the sun , that john a leyden ▪ was appointed by christ , to be king over all the world , and rule the nations in righteousnesse and in power . after this , the king was inspired , to set up sundry queens , and to take to himselfe many wives at once , to increase and multiply the holy seed upon earth . but this imaginary kingdome , was of short durance ; for the neighbour princes , finding their designe , joyned against them , as against the enemies of mankind : and after they had indured a long siege ; their king , by revelation , assured them , that before easter , they should have deliverance . but when none appeared , he told them , that he had been in a trance six dayes , in which time , he had ridden on a blind asse , and that god the father , had laid upon his back ▪ the sinnes of them all , whereby they were set free and delivered from them ; and this was the deliverance he promised , wherewithall , they ought to rest contented ; thereupon the town was taken , the deluded people , disabused , the king impostor , executed to death , and hung up in chaines , upon the highest steeple , thus ended this tragedy , and ever tragicall is the end of such follies ; the apostle noteth , that factions and divisions , are signes of carnality ; first , men separate from others , as unclean , then they speak evill of government , the next step , is to blind the people with revelations ; from thence they fall into snares of the flesh ; at last , they stir up sedition , and last of all , their end is destruction . hitherto , i have laboured to shew ▪ that the magistrate , by his office , being an ordinance of god , is bound to provide for the publick peace and safety in church and common-wealth , which is done first by enacting just lawes , and wholsome orders , consonant to wisdome , and the word of god ; and secondly , by using his power , to preserve them , in vigor and execution ; as also to shew , that the people are bound in conscience , to give willing obedience , to such lawes and orders of the magistrate , whose duty it is , to restrain the disobedient , and reduce them , to their duty ; neverthelesse , forasmuch ▪ as the power , wherewithall god hath invested the magistrate , is alwaies to be used for publike good ; and requisite it is , that a due distinction be made in the punishment of offenders , between such as erre out of mistake or ignorance , and those that resist , out of wilfulnesse and contempt . i shall in all humblenesse propound some few expedients how farre the magistrate may please to slacken his power , and so temper the lawes , and penalties thereof ; as they may serve both waies , as lenitives for the simple , and corrasives for the stubborn , who will not otherwise be reformed . 1. i conceive , that as it is unreasonable to demand so it would be dangerous to grant , any toleration of religion , besides that which is established , for such a liberty of conscience , would breed a freedome of will , and freedome of will would beget liberty of life , which would breed a fearfull independency , when every one might do what they list ; in matters of faith , necessary to salvation , there is but one way , and one truth ; all the rest , is obsiquity and error . therefore when the truth , hath been tried , by the word , and ratified by the magistrate , he cannot suffer any falshood , without being accessary thereunto ; yet in matters of discipline and government , there is a greater latitude ; for when it shall appeare , that weak brethren , agreeing in the same confession of faith but dissenting in outward forms , out of tendernesse or ignorance ; to such a toleration , or connivence , or suspention of laws , may be harmlesse and charitable , till they be further satisfied and instructed . 2. that whosoever living under the subjection of this state , should be so far destitute of grace , as to renounce christ , or speak blasphemously of him , or any person of the trinity ; contrary to the faith established in the church ; he shall upon conviction , be informed of the truth , with a brotherly admonition not to divulge his error , to the corruption or scandall of others , or disturbance of the civill peace . for the second offence , he shall indure a years imprisonment , be disabled in his testimony , put out of protection of the laws , and wear some publike mark , noting him for a blasphemer : for the third offence , he shall suffer banishment ; or close and perpetuall imprisonment ; and if banished it shal be capitall for him to return , without licence of the state . for if he by our lawes deserveth death , that seduceth any subject , from the allegeance of his naturall prince ; what deserveth he , that seeketh to alienate the soule of any christian , from the dependance of god , unto the divell ? 3. if any one , out of an evill heart , shall break forth into open reviling , scorning , disgracefull words against the present church-government ▪ now established , he shall not be connived at , as a man of tender conscience : for as he giveth himselfe power and liberty to dis-joyn from it , so it is also in his power , not to speak evill of it , but doing it by choice and deliberation ; he cannot fall within the compasse of weaknesse . for he that maketh no conscience , of giving offence and scandall to the christian magistrate , and all his godly brethren , living in peaceable obedience ▪ cannot imagine , that his private fancies ▪ though covered with weaknesse , should be more tendered , then the publike conscience of the common-wealth . such a one therefore ought to be punished , as a contemner of the civill power . first , by reproof and exhortation , not to disquiet , the peace of the land ; secondly , by a pecuniary mulct ▪ for some publike use , with disability of his credit ▪ thirdly , if he still persist , with close imprisonment , till ▪ he give publike satisfaction of his repentance . 4. forasmuch , as no man ought to undertake the office and function , of the holy church ministry , without he be well assured of his inward calling thereunto ; neither can such men conceive themselves , awhit the worse , or that it might be any prejudice to their spirituall gifts to have an outward approbation ▪ by laying on the hands of the presbytery , and praying for divine blessing upon their persons , and giving them an orderly mission , into gods harvest ? therefore whosoever shall take unto himselfe the holy calling , presuming to preach the word or administer the sacraments , not being admitted , nor ordained thereunto , by lawfull authority ; he ought to be punished as the former were , that contemned the civill power , or rather more severely ; especially if they be found in their publike preaching , to sow sedition among the people ; provided , that such persons , masters of families , or others , meeting in their own houses , or in their neighbours , to repeat what they heard or learned , out of sermons preached by authority ; and upon that or the like occasion , worship god by praying or singing of psalmes , conferring or arguing , upon any part of the word preached , as also such , who being required , by any friend or neighbour ( when the advice of ministers , cannot be had ) to open or expound some text of scripture , or deliver his judgement upon any case of conscience ▪ for satisfaction of the parties , be not comprehended under this article , or any penalty thereof , because we are commanded ▪ to exercise the gifts and talents , god hath given us ▪ in a sober and orderly way , for the edification of one another . 5. whereas out of all doubt , many things are contained in holy scripture , which are not yet fully manifested , nor clearly understood ; and we know the spirit of god , bloweth where he listeth and is not confined , to time , place , nor person , but inspireth whom he pleaseth . if therefore any man shall pretend , to have a new opinion ▪ or new light revealed unto him , of the sence of any part of scripture ▪ fitting it were , he should bring his knowledge to some godly minister , approved of ; or to the next classi● ▪ where he liveth , there to be tried and examined by the spirit of the prophets judging and determining by the word of god , and if perchance they neither approve of his opinion , nor yet be able to convince him ; then to refer him , to the next nationall councell to which he must stand or fall . in the mean time , if he publish his opinion under hand , to the breach of brotherly unity in the church ; he ought to be taken , as a disturber of publike peace , and subject to the penalties mentioned in the third article . by these and such like means , the power of the civill magistrate , may be preserved from contempt ; and the consciences of weak brethren from constraint ; till they shall pluck off their mask , and discover themselves to be obstinate ▪ and unsufferable ; clamouring for toleration , under pretence of weaknesse ; but indeed , making a breach and separation , in confidence of their own strength and perfection ▪ disdaining with supercilious eies , the infirmities of their brethren ; by which falacie , they think to blear the eye of the magistrate and make the weak , to overthrow the strong . to such wolves in sheeps cloathing , whether they be papists , hereticks ▪ schismaticks , or whatsoever they be ( for a weak conscience is now-adaies , become a cloak , for all shoulders ) my meaning is not , that any indulgence or connivence of the magistrate , should be extended to them , who it is plain enough are employed in malicious designes , working under-ground , the divisions and ruine of the state . therefore to conclude with the same spirit , as i began ; which is a spirit of unity , peace , and love . in the fear , and before the face of almighty god , and by the bowells of that love ▪ wherwith christ jesus loved us all ; i do beseech the brethren , whether they be leaders or followers , that agree with us in the same doctrine , but dissent in government ; to lay their hands upon their hearts , and examine , what they would be at . is it , at the advancement of truth , the practise of holiness , the purity of gods worship ? let them consider , whether all these may not be had , as they are all intended under the present government ; is it at spirituall perfection , whiles they are present in the flesh ? let them consider , that the perfection of a christian , consisteth , in humility , love ▪ peace , meeknesse , sobriety and uprightnesse , which are truly spirituall , and none of them excluded , by this government . is it at the setting up of the kingdome of christ jesus ; that he might raigne , as lord omnipotent upon earth ? let them consider , that the kingdome of christ jesus , is not of this world , he prescribeth no forms , nor modells of civill government , as he findeth them , so he leaveth them , where he is received ; he sublimeth and refineth them where he is not received , hee doth not destroy them . let them consider , that this present governmet , doth no waies eclipse the kingdome of christ jesus ; for whither it be placed in a single congregation , or in a generall assembly , or in the last resort of the supreme magistrate ; all are under the government of christ jesus , who ruleth among them , by his word , whereunto , they conform their government : is it at the setting up of any other government , which they think is onely divine , and necessary to salvation ? let them consider , that by such assertions , they do not onely blast all reformed churches at this day , and leave them in a state of condemnation living under another government , but also condemn multitudes of soules departed , which under other governments , lived saints upon earth , died martyrs for the faith of christ , and are now triumphants in heaven . or els is it at no government at all , till they receive on revealed from heaven ? let them consider , whether any such promise be made us in scripture , which we ought to expect ; this wee find , that god is not the author of confusion , but of peace , order , and government , which ought to be setled in all churches of the saints . or lastly , is it to set up an infallibility of private judgement , taking themselves to abound in the spirit , and be able to judge all above them ? let them consider , that the hearts and spirits of men , are deceitfull , above all deceits , a●● that to strive and contend to make rents and separation for these things , to despise the powers and ordinances of god , are reckoned among the workes of the flesh , rank and carnall . but if it be as i will hope it is , a pure and sincere weakness of conscience , arising from a weaknesse of judgement ; not yet seeing the clearnesse of that light , which hath in lightned the magistrates and ministers , and greatest part of the kingdome . let them be intreated in the fear of god ▪ to seek to him for further illumination ; and in the mean time , to suspend their opinions and forbear contentions by christian modesty and moderation , becomming the saints , to maintain christian charity , which is the bond of perfection , and make it manifest unto the world , and to the angells in heaven , that they are not led , by the spirit of error , strife and vain-glory , but by the spirit of truth , which worketh by love ; and lowlinesse , patience and meeknesse ; minding the same things , and improving the gifts of faith , & grace and knowledge , whereunto they have already attained . and in other things of lesser moment , concerning the formes of discipline and government , and the outward face of order and decency in the publike worship , whereunto perhaps not having yet attained , they may be otherwise minded therein to wait gods time , with quiet and patience , who hath promised to reveale , even that also unto them , that one may not be perfect , without another . it may be , they may thinke themselves unkindly dealt withall , and very ill requited , that having so frankly adventured their lives and estates , and done so valiantly , against the enemies of god and the land , they should after all this , be denyed any request , especially , that which so nearly toucheth , their freedome of conscience , and inward peace . truly it is on all hands confessed ▪ and no man that i know , seeketh to cast a vaile over their worth , or suppressed their atchievements . god hath done wonderfull things ; by many of their hands and the lesse honour , they take to themselves , the more will be given them , by the voice of the nation , and rulers of the band , who ought to take care , that their names be written , in the registers of fame , from generation to generation . but what will our dissenting brethren say , if jesuits and malignents converse among them , in sheeps-clothing ; if transformed into angels of light , they carry on these workes of darknesse , and by secret suggestions , and insinuations of the serpent , make them blow this cole and widen this breach against their own intentions ? it is not for nought ▪ that there be so ma●y popish spies and agents among us ; whose employment is ▪ to weaken the hands of the magistrate , by sowing factions and disobedience among the people . they feele their blow , and know well enough that their form is broken , they are upon their last gaspe , and their last refuge is this , to compasse that by trechery and mischiefe , which they could not do , by force in the field ; if they can divide the civill and military power , and fling fire-balls of division into the tents of brethren , they have yet a fainting hope to recover strength and destroy them both . let not our brethren think this , to be an eary or empty admonition ; for there be men so finely spirited and rarified to the invisibility of the divell ; that if it were possible , they would deceive the very elect , and weave their hypocriticall webbs , with liberty , that commonly the simple , and many times the circumspect are involved , and taken . happy it were , that by some marke , they might be known , for then they were easily avoided ; but when they come ▪ to strike up division , and separate the hearts of the brethren ; the safest remedy is to stop our eares as against inchanters , and negotiators for the divell . return then ô shulamite , return , return ; be not intrapped in the snares of division ; but return to the tents of peace : what will ye see in the shulamites ? we shall see , when he returneth and joyneth his body to the state , and his conscience to the church , that his countenance is faire as the moon , clear as the sun ▪ terrible ▪ as an army with banners ; and that his company united to the common-wealth , is like the association of two armies , linked together by one heart , invincible and undissolvable , by the powers of darknesse and of antichrist . thus have i delivered my poor judgement , and discharged my duty , which i owe to the publike peace . i pretend not to revelations , nor an unerring spirit ; but being privy to the evennesse of mine own heart , and unbyassed intentions ; my conscience is my testimony , that i have not erred , to cause any other man to erre . in regard whereof , i may hope , that all men , who are spirituall , and dis-interessed in their ends , will acknowledge this to be the mind of christ , so far-forth at least , as it aimeth and tendeth to piety and peace . neverthelesse , if any will be still contentions and dissent , neither i , nor the churches of god , have any such custome ; nor do i intend , for this difference of judgement , to breake charity and communion with them . but i rather beseech them , for a close of all ; to put on milde and gentle affections ; and whiles they approve of our faith , not to disapprove our workes , by excommunicating of us , or separating from us ; till our workes go before us , and condemn our selves . leaving them , in this assurance , that when our lord jesus christ shall come , the judge and master of us all , to whom we must stand or fall ; it will be better for them , and for us in that day that he find our hearts established in grace , then our selves at variance about church-government . finis . the primitive practise for preserving truth. or an historicall narration, shewing what course the primitive church anciently, and the best reformed churches since have taken to suppresse heresie and schisme. and occasionally also by way of opposition discovering the papall and prelaticall courses to destroy and roote out the same truth; and the judgements of god which have ensued upon persecuting princes and prelates. / by sir simonds d'ewes. d'ewes, simonds, sir, 1602-1650. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a67894 of text r200135 in the english short title catalog (wing d1251). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 173 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 36 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a67894 wing d1251 estc r200135 99860940 99860940 50931 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a67894) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 50931) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 48:e290[9]) the primitive practise for preserving truth. or an historicall narration, shewing what course the primitive church anciently, and the best reformed churches since have taken to suppresse heresie and schisme. and occasionally also by way of opposition discovering the papall and prelaticall courses to destroy and roote out the same truth; and the judgements of god which have ensued upon persecuting princes and prelates. / by sir simonds d'ewes. d'ewes, simonds, sir, 1602-1650. [6], 65, [1] p. printed by m.s. for henry overton, and are to be sold at his shop in popes-head alley., london, : 1645. annotation on thomason copy: "june 28". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng heresies, christian -early works to 1800. christian sects -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century -early works to 1800. a67894 r200135 (wing d1251). civilwar no the primitive practise for preserving truth. or an historicall narration, shewing what course the primitive church anciently, and the best r d'ewes, simonds, sir 1645 30473 13 0 0 0 0 0 4 b the rate of 4 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2000-00 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-01 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-03 tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread 2002-03 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion having with as much delight as diligence , read over this excellent discourse , entituled , the primitive practise for preserving truth ; and finding it richly furnished with variety of learned and select story , eminently usefull for common information against persecution meerly for conscience sake ; i conceive it very worthy of the presse . john bachiler the primitive practise for preserving truth . or an historicall narration , shewing what course the primitive church anciently , and the best reformed churches since have taken to suppresse heresie and schisme . and occasionally also by way of opposition discovering the papall and prelaticall courses to destroy and roote out the same truth ; and the judgements of god which have ensued upon persecuting princes and prelates . by sir simonds d' ewes . the second impression , more exact then the former . london , printed by m. s. for henry overton , and are to be sold at his shop in popes-head alley . to the reader . judicious reader , this ensuing discourse being penned by mee about eight yeeres since , not only for recreation amidst my severer studies , but as a preparative also , by which i desired to fit my self , either for a voluntary exitement , or a necessary suffering ; i intended it only for a private use : for i then residing in the county of suffolke , which had newly groaned under the prelaticall tyranny of bishop wren , as did all other parts of his diocesse ; did know that the presse was then onely open to matters of a contrary subject . but now upon the perusall thereof , conceiving that it might be of some use , in respect of the many distractions amongst us at this present , when a blessed reformation is so neere the birth , and yet the church seems to want strength to bring it forth , i was content to yeeld to the publishing thereof . i did at first , purposely omit the citations of those many and select authorities , out of which this ensuing discourse was drawn , lest the margin thereby should have swoln to a greater proportion then the discourse it self , some whole sections or paragraphs being almost entirely extracted out of the records of this kingdome : and i have through the whole tractat chiefly laid down the matter of fact out of story , not only extant in print , but yet remaining also in m. s. and have lest the debate of the dogmaticall part of it , to those , whose calling and leisure is more proper for it . my many present imployments , both publike and private , did scarce permit mee to supervise it , and to amend it in some few places , which puts mee almost out of all hope ever to transmit to posterity any one of those severall great and more necessary works i had in part collected and prepared ( for the good and benefit of this church and kingdome ) in the time of my leisure and freedome . s. d. the primitive practise for preserving truth . section i. it is the undoubted mark or brand of the church antichristian and malignant , to persecute ; of the church christian orthodox and truly catholike , to be persecuted : for the truth , if it have but equall countenance and safety , will not only prosper and flourish amongst the professors thereof , but will also in due time , sometimes by a sudden power , profligate and trample upon heresie , as it did upon pelagianisme , among the ancient protestant britains in wales , about the yeer of our lord , 466. and sometimes by insensible degrees waste and wear out falshood , as it did the contagion of the arrians amongst the eastern christians ; but falshood , heresie , mens inventions , burthensome superstitions intermixed with gods worship , and idolatry , or any divine creature-adoration , consisting in mens bowing to , or towards images , crosses , altars , communion-tables , reliques , or the like , can never be generally and publikely established , without sharp and cruell persecution be exercised and practised upon the goods , estates , liberties and lives of the godly . the pope and the turk have both upheld and propagated their abominations by the sword , although no indifferent and impartiall judgement can deny , but that the romish antichrist , in this one particular , exceeds the ottomanish muphti , in that he makes it a part of the tridentine faith , and so a tenet of his religion , to persecute , destroy and root out all the euangelicall party , under the false and personated names of heretiques : whereas the turk acknowledgeth this truth , that the conscience neither can , nor ought to be compelled ; and therefore they permit the free exercise , not only of the protestant religion in all their dominions , but of the popish also , in many places of the same , whom yet they justly abhor , as the jewes do also ( led by the morality of the second commandement ) for setting up images in the places of their publike assemblies , and committing idolatry by adoring them . sect. ii. a protestant church , if it desire to intermix any superstitious ceremonies or idolatrous actions , with the power and purity of the gospel , must likewise be enforced to borrow some part of the other characters also from the church malignant , by enforcing the observation of such additions with the persecution of gods children in their estates , goods , and liberties , equalling in many respects the shedding of their bloods ; and reckoned up together by the author of the epistle to the hebrewes , for so many kindes or species of martyrdome . there are in all parts of the world , amongst the very christians themselves , the greater number ignorant , prophane and vicious , who neither regard to know the truth , nor desire to suffer for it , but will alwayes run with the multitude , and be carried with the stream : they will of protestants become papists to morrow , rather then lose either goods , life or liberty ; of papists the next day anabaptists with sebastian castellio , and james arminius ; of anabaptists the third day ( if by that means they may escape danger , and rise to preserment ) become turks or abisens : for , doubtlesse , in running from truth to falshood , as in turning from the medium to an extreme , there is no essentiall , but only a graduall difference . as constantine filled the empire with christians , so julian with atheists and persecutors . the greater number with holy king edward in england , even harding and boner , among others for company , embraced the protestant truth ; and as soone as hee died , all again generally licked up the old vomit under queen mary , whose bloody fires were scarce quenched by her death , and the royall scepter throughly grasped by her blessed sister , but all again , for the most part , ( as if religion had been but a fashion , which commonly deriveth its frenzie into the countrey by the court ) changed with the new prince , and especially the church-men , among whom , through the whole realm , not twenty in a thousand did stick to their infallible head , the romish antichrist . sect. iii. when learned and pious luther lay on his death-bed , he * acknowledged his errors , which coming but newly out of darknesse , had been embraced by him amongst his many truths , and obtruded from him upon the church of god , especially those two monsters of consubstantiation and ubiquity ; yet ( taking counsell rather of men then of gods word ) for feare , lest if hee retracted them , the people would suspect the rest , and so fall back again by an absolute recidivation to popery , hee counted it more safe to declare his judgement in private , and to leave the rooting out of those weeds by insensible degrees to his disciples . to effect which , the french and helvetian churches did readily afterwards afford the germanes divers publike conferences : but doctor andreas , john brentius , and other pseudo-lutherans , having suckt in the poyson of the anabaptists ( the devils master-engine in this latter age , with the jesuites , to restore pelagianisme to the world ) and having added those old blasphemies that concern the advancement of mans free-will above gods grace , to luthers new masse , as the papists then , and still in a bitter scoffe or sarcasme call it , grew into so extreme an hatred against the maintainers of gods truth , both within and without germany , as they became more bitter in their invectives against them , then against the papists themselves , and did even then by their false and preposterous courses , threaten a ruine to themselves , and the whole euangelicall party , which they have since most miserably effected and brought to passe in a great part of the christian world ; which drew the king of great britain , in the yeer 1611. to remonstrate to the united states of the lower germany upon the death of james arminius the anabaptist , or pseudo-lutheran , whom hee calls the enemy of god , and their electing of vorstius into his chaire , whom hee calls a blasphemer ; that if they did not in time prevent the growing of that pestilentiall sect , it would in the issue prove the utter ruine of their flourishing common-wealth . sect. iv. the electorall house of saxonic , upon the devesting of that brave and pious prince john frederick the true heire by charles the fifth , and the investing of the younger house , to usurp that honour , hath ever since proved a greater friend to the popish party , then to the purer churches of christendome , of the french and helvetick confession . miurice that usurped that dutchie and electorate upon the incaptivating of the said duke john frederick his cousin , first ruined the princes of the smalcaldick union , to which himself had subscribed , and then casting an ambitious eye upon the empire it self , broke his faith with the emperor that had raised him ; and having patched up that defection by the means of eerdinand of austria , king of bohemia , afterwards setled in the imperiall throne , he lastly perished by a violent death in a pitcht battell , sought against his fellow-protestants , and left his brother augustus to succeed him . this new electorall family aided the leaguers in france , against that victorious prince , henry the great : they ruined and took prisoner their cousin , the duke of saxon weymar , ( the principall branch of their house ) in the castle of goth , in the time of maximilian the emperor , they put in their far-fetcht pretentions to the dutchie of cleeve and juliers in our dayes , and joyned their armes with the archduke leopold , against the marquesse of brandenburg , and the duke of newburg , the indubitate heires thereof , whose right also was asserted by the whole protestant party besides of christendome . these were the fruits of their miserable errors in doctrine brought in and established by james andreas osiander , and their fellow pseudo-lutherans , retaining still their images and altars in the places of their publique worship , although they confesse them to minister matter of offence to many of the better learned , and matter of superstition to most of the ignorant multitude . nay , hence in the yeer 1580. did the pseudo-lutherans proceed to inforce the ministers of saxonie to subscribe , amongst other articles , to that monstrous error of the ubiquity of christs body , exploded with just derision by bellarmine , and all learned papists : and from enforced subscription ( which is ever for the most part the fore-runner of persecution ) they fell in the yeare 1591. upon the death of duke christian , the best of all the electors of the aforesaid augustus line and race , to shed the innocent bloud of that brave gentleman and faithfull servant of the state , paulus krelius , chancellor of that dutchy , for no other delict , but because he was a known friend to the purest doctrine , & a stout protector of those whom they stiled calvinists . after which followed the suspension and imprisonment of urbanus pierius , professor of wittenberg , and of divers other learned and godly ministers ; yea , within a yeare or two after , such was the furious virulencie of the inhabitants of the town of leipsich , led by the scholars of the universitie there , ( who have since , in these later germane wars , fully tasted of the divine indignation ) as they fell upon the houses and movables of such as embraced the helvetick confession , despoiled them of their goods , and committed divers other outrages upon them . but most fatall have been the effects of this last duke of saxonie's hovering neutrality in matter of religion , when at first he refused to be comprised in the protestant union , entred into by the germane princes in the yeare 1617. for their necessary safety , when secondly he sided the yeare following , with the emperor matthias , against the protestant bohemians . and thirdly , when in the yeare 1620. he joyned his armies with those of the emperour ferdinand the second , ( that but a few yeares before lay hid in obscurity , in his slender patrimony at gratz . ) and so proved one of the chief causes of the utter subversion ( for ought we yet see ) of the religion and liberties of germany . for had not frederick the fifth , prince elector palatine , rather aimed at the upholding of true religion in bohemia , then at any ambitious ends of his own , he had never hazarded the peace , plenty , and quiet he enjoyed at heidelberg , to have accepted that controversall crown at prague , and to have entred that kingdome in a hostile manner , which for above the space of twelve moneths before had been filled with warre and misery . sect. v. i doe not finde that any higher or greater punishment was inflicted upon hereticks themselves in the primitive times , though they remained obstinate after all other meanes used for convincing them of their errours , then exile or banishment . st. austin writing to proculianus the donatist , acknowledgeth such as erre from the truth , must be drawn home by milde instruction , and not by cruell enforcement . and when bishop itacius , in the yeare 383. being a man of a turbulent spirit , and fierce nature , had caused priscillian the heretique , and divers of his followers to be put to death ; he was first condemned for that bloudy act by thcognistus : and st. ambrose afterwards meeting with some bishops at triers , that had partaken with itacius in that cruell execution , would not so much as entertain any communion with them . theodosius the emperour , in the synod of constantinople , in stead of bloud and irons , caused a publick dispute to be afforded the arrians themselves , although they had been before condemned by the councell of nice : the like mercifull provision did charles the great , and lewes the good in france , ordaine for such as were counted sectaries in their times . neither did those three hundred and eighteen fathers in the first nicene councell , those six hundred and thirty in that of chalcedon , or those hundred and fifty in that of constantinople use any other weapons against the same arrians , nestorians , and macedonians , then the word of god ; nor stirred they up , or permitted the christian magistrate in their dayes to punish them by death . paulus aquiliensis , and cedrenus , doe also both of them report , that when the emperour justinus used clemency towards the very arrian heretiques , theodoricus the king of italy being infected with the same poyson , did notwithstanding , led by that example , suffer the orthodox christians to have the free exercise of their religion in all his dominions . wee shall need no further examples to prove this truth , when it is confessed by one of the most learned and best romanists of our age , that there is no approved example in all the monuments of antiquity , of any execution done upon the sectaries of those times ; but that the church of god did alwayes abhorre the shedding of bloud in matters that meerly concern religion , jac. aug. thuanus prooem. in histor. p. 5. sect. vi . it is likewise contrary to the practice of the best princes , and the wisest states of this latter age of the world , to make matter of heresie it selfe a capitall crime . francis the first of that name , king of france , having decreed a persecution against the poore protestants of merindoll , and cabrieres , and being informed by william bellay , lord langay , governour of the province , that they were harmless men , very laborious in their callings , just in their dealings , loyall to their prince , charitable to the poore , and very frequent in their prayers to god , & their innocency being likewise cleared in a great measure by cardinall sadolet himselfe , he caused them to be freed from further persecution , till being falsly informed by one minerius , a turbulent fellow , that there were fifteen thousand of them up in armes in rebellion , he rashly gave them over to the fury of their enemies , yet not as heŕetiques , which he alwayes accounted them , but as traytors , as he was then mis-informed of them . in germany , ferdinand the first , taught by the error of charles the fifth his elder brother , found no such meanes to make his government happy , and his empire flourishing , as to decree the liberty of religion . which course the good emperour maximilian his sonne following , dyed as happy as he lived victorious . the venetian state indure no inquisitors in matters of religion , nor if any of their subjects be accused of heresie , doe they suffer it to be questioned before any of the clergy alone , who are thirsty after bloud , but before them joyntly together , with their civill judges . the first monarch in england that made matter of religion , a capitall crime , by a publick act or statute , was the usurper henry the fourth , who having by the perswasion and assistance of thomas arundell , that traytor , archbishop of canterbury , and his fellow-prelates , deposed and murdered his lawfull soveraigne , richard the second , to curry favour with those bloudy canniballs , was forced to yeeld to the murdering of gods saints : since whose time the bloud of the martyrs in england , have proved the seed of the church , although by the short raigne of that kingdomes unfortunate mary , their number comes far short of those in france , and the seventeene provinces ; in which two dominions , within the space of little more then five yeares , the curious searcher may finde by diligent inquisition , that gods truth was sealed under charles the ninth of france , and philip the second of spaine , with the bloud of near upon two hundred thousand martyrs , amongst whom were slaughtered divers great and eminent personages of both sexes : a cruelty that very mahumetans doe abhorre ; as it appeared by that which the ambassadours sent from abas-meriza the persian sultan , to the emperour rodolph , in the yeare 1604. did alledge to justifie the mercifull government of that empire , to wit , that all christians had free liberty of conscience in all their soveraignes dominions , and therefore they exhorted his imperiall majesty to joyn in a firme league with him against their common enemy the turke . sect. vii . as it is against the practice of the primitive church , the course held by the christian emperours , and the observation of the wisest princes and states of the latter age , though otherwise pontifician , to make matter of heresie a capitall crime , to inforce the conscience , and to put to death , for the cause of religion meerly , so it is against the rules of charitie and reason . first , it is against the rules of charity , if we had no other light to guide us , but the most wise answer of englands last matchlesse edward , being then but a childe , when he was pressed to yeeld his assent to the burning of an heretique ; what ( said he ) shall i send him to hell ? by which he truly intimated , that whereas in all other offences , the malefactors are punished with death , because it may be hoped they have repented the sinne ; but to destroy an heretick before conviction , is to be the devils catour , and to send him in provision even to hell it selfe . for the very pertinacious holding of an heresie is agreed on by all sides to be a damnable sinne , and then the cutting them off in that sinne , is to be the immediate instrument of their perdition . this doth that virulent romanist or monster of men , nicholas harpsfeild , in his wiclevian history openly boast of , cap. 16. p. 717. that those ( blessed champions of christ whom he calls ) heretiques , did in the fires that consumed their bodies , taste the first-fruits of the eternall fire they endured afterwards . on the other side , if they suffer not but for feare of death , hope of preferment , or other base ends , turne from one religion to another , especially from the truth to errour and idolatry , without instruction , or reasonable conviction , they onely dissemble outwardly ; as the moores of gran ido did under that bloudy philip the second of spaine , who being enforced to be present at the masse in the morning , practised their own mahumetanisme in the evening ; or els their conscience being shipwracked by their apostasie before conviction , with francis spira they are swallowed up of despaire , or with peter espinae , archbishop of lions , of the henetick faction in henry the fourths time of france , with lust and epicurisme , who practised that emasculating sinne with his own sister . the jews in england from willian the firsts time , till the eighteenth yeare of edward the first , were the onely usurers of the realme , and brought in large contributions and tallages to the kings under whom they lived , and enjoyed here the freedome of their consciences : at their deaths their whole estates escheated to the king , which their next heires commonly redeem'd for one full third part of three : but to incourage them to turne christians , it was appointed in the assize , by which they were govern'd under their own proper and peculiar justices , that if any jew dyed , whose heire became a christian , he should inherit all the estate , of his ancestors , without any further sine or composition with the prince . the master of the rolls-house in london , and other places in other cities of the kingdome were appointed for the entertainment of those christian converts , and were thence called domus conversorum : all which may clearly be gathered out of those records of the exchequer , commonly called , the great pipe rolles , and the communi● rolles : by which allurements some of the jewes out of malice to their fellowes , or having committed some penall offence to escape the punishment practised amongst themselves , or els for lucre sake , ( the sin of avarice being connaturall to most of them ) were baptized and became christians outwardly , without any due instruction in the christian faith before-hand , and being convinced also that the papists adoring or bowing to , and towards images , altars , reliques , and the like trumpery , was absolute idolatry against the second commandement , they proved , as commonly the jewes and christians at this day do , when they turn turks , the wretchedest varlets in the whole kingdome . what were the poor indians wont to say , when to avoid the spaniards extreame and inhumane cruelties , they were drawn to their masses , but that since they became christians , they had learned to swear and drink ? it was an excellent and just sentence which one of the grand seignienrs pronounced against divers hundreds of christians , that falling down-before him , made declaration , that they had deserted their sacra , and given up their names to mahomet , he inquired of them why they did so ; and they confessing plainly , that they did it to be freed from those many taxes , contributions and oppressions which they before groaned under ; he rejected their enforced conversion for outward ends , and commanded their taxes and levies to be continued . this heroick action of the turkish monarch , was not much short of that policie of one of the ancient christian emperours , who having his army mixed of christians and pagans , and desiring to discover who of the first were little better then those of the latter , made , like another jehu : a publike declaration for the restoring of paganisme , upon which , divers of the christian commanders shewing themselves forward to desert the truth , and to follow the stream and time , he presently reproved and cashier'd them ; alledging , that all such were unworthy to serve any prince that had proved unfaithfull to that divine majesty , by which princes rule . sect. viii . as it is against the dictamen of christian charity , to make matter of religion a capitall crime , or to enforce the conscience , without a full and clear conviction , from the profession of one religion to another , or to any new burthensome ceremonies , to be superadded in the publick worship of god , although the religion it self remain the same it was before in the generall ; so it is against the rules of reason it self . this was confessed by henry 3. of france , one of the most impotent princes that ever swayed that scepter , and most inveterate enemy that ever the protestants had , having been instructed to hate , betray , and persecute them , by katherine de medices his bloudy mother , even from his very cradle ; yet when james clement a jesuited monk had sheathed a knife in his bowels , and that hee saw himself neer the minute in which hee was to give an account of all his cruelties to the supreme judge of heaven and earth , he made an effectuall speech to the chief commanders of his army , being most of them romanists : to acknowledge and obey the king of navar ( then a protestant ) as their lawfull soveraigne , and the lineall heire of the french crown , and to know this undoubted truth for the future ; that religion which is distilled into the souls of men by god himself , cannot he enforced by man . the same truth likewise , and almost in these very words , did the lord brederode , and the other protestants of the lower germany alledge for their just excuse in their united apologie , published in the yeere 1566. and further added ; that if the papists did conceive their religion to be the truth , they should in sieed of blood , fines , imprisonments and exilings , follow the seasonable advice of wise gamaliel , and try a while , whether the protestants separation from them were of god or not ; for otherwise , if by force and tyrannie they did compell them to professe and practice those actions in gods worship which they accounted abominable , and did also restrain them from performing those holy duties towards god , wherein they were convinced the truth of his service consisted , their consciences must needs be shipwracked and undone , and so in stead of making them new converts , they should leave them atheists and libertines . this very objection also ( in the yeere 1572 ) did katherine de medices of florence , then queen mother of france , ( though she little practised the truth of the consequence ) make in the treaty of marriage of francis de valois her youngest sonne , with queen elizabeth of england . the great rub pretended on both sides , ( though the match was never really intended by either queen ) was matter of religion ; in which that glorious virgin monarch , having given her ambassador expresse instructions , not to yeeld so far as that the duke of alenzon should be permitted the celebration of his masse in private . what mr. walsingham , saith the queen-mother upon his next audience , will your mistresse have my son turn atheist , and professe no religion at all ? for with your church he cannot joyn , till he be further instructed ; and you will not suffer him to continue those sacra by which hee hath hitherto served god , what shall hee turn heathen till you have converted him ? though this unfortunate lady did by this her wise answer discover the true madnesse of all persecutors , yet did she not forbeare to bath her cruell hands for many yeers after , in the blood of gods saints , and caused many , as st. paul witnesseth of himself , before his conversion , to blaspheme , by their ejuration of the known truth , and their subscriptions to the popish trumperies ; of which , some that persisted in papistry , turned prodigious sinners and libertines ; and others with the king of navar , and prince of conde , as soon as they got loose , returned to the known truth . the heroick answer of that brave prince , john frederick elector , and duke of saxonie , is worthy to be ingraven in leters of gold on pillars of brasse , who being taken prisoner by the emperor , charles the fifth , in the yeer 1547. and threatened with present death , except he would renounce and yeeld up his electorate and dutchie to his false and treacherous cousin maurice , and become a romanist , yeelded readily to all the former conditions , but absolutely refused the latter : and when in the yeer following , that wicked interim was yeelded unto by all the princes of germany ; some being driven by fear , and others drawn on by flattery , which was , that popery should be restored in all places , till a generall councell were called , and further order taken for the liberty of religion ; this godly prince , though ces●rs captive , could never be drawn to subscribe to it ; and when those two subtile perenots , nicholas cardinall granvellan the father , and anthony the bishop of arras his son , had used many arguments to perswade him , what ( saith hee ) would you draw me to ? i am convinced the religion i now live in to be the truth , and should i outwardly make profession of any other , i should but dissemble with god and the emperor , and so draw neer to that unpardonable sin against the holy ghost : with which answer , charles the fifth himself was so pleased , as he more respected and honoured the duke ever after . what this pious prince foresaw and avoided , too many by lamentable experience have found true , and repented , who having abjured the truth for fear , and felt but a while the horror of an afflicted and wounded conscience , have hasted to those popish officers , as divers in england did in queen maries time , where their abjurations and recantations remained , and having gotten sight of them , have rent them into many pieces , and joyfully imbraced , not only their irons , but the stake it self , as a far more easie suffering then what they before felt and indured . had charles the 9th of france but followed the good counsell was openly given him in the parliament at st. germans the first yeer of his reign , that the differences of religion neither ought , nor ever could be composed by blood and cruelty , but by gods word and seasonable conferences , he had never made his raign and memory so infamous to posterity as now it is , nor drawn the divine vengeance upon himself , by shedding so much innocent blood as afterwards he did . for as divers were butcher'd by him in that barbarous massacre at paris , in the yeer 1572. so henry de clermont ( commonly sirnamed bourbon ) prince of conde , was some days after the generall slaughter of the protestants , committed there , appointed by him to die , but his pardon being obtained by elizabeth ( a name , it seems , only proper to gracious and excellent soveraignesses ) his queen , one of the daughters of the good emperor maximilian , ( although conde knew it not ) hee comes to him , and tels him , of three things he must elect one : either to heare masse , to die , or to suffer perpetuall imprisonment ; the young prince no whit abashed , makes him this sudden and brave answer : god forbid , sir , that i should choose the first , but of the two latter , i am ready to submit to that which your highnesse shall appoint . there is as rare a story of the lady jane gray , eldest daughter of henry gray , duke of suffolk , not much inferiour in birth and extraction to conde himself , by her mothers side , who was grandchilde and co-heire to edward the 4th , king of england , related by a gentleman , and a courtier , as it seems ( for i finde not his name ) under queen mary , in the yeer 1553. who dined at mr. partriges house within the tower with her , whilest she remained a prisoner there , which narration well deserving to be transmitted to posterity , doth here ensue out of a manuscript history of a great part of that queens time , the very autograph it self being in my library , written by the said gentleman with his own hand , some few words being added , which were at first casually omitted by his haste , or inadvertency in penning of it , and some other words changed and written according to the manner of speech now used : on tuesday , the 29th of august , i dined at partriges house with my lady jane , &c. after that we fell in discourse of matters of religion , and she asked what he was that preached at pauls on sunday before , and so it was told her to be one : : : : : : : : i pray you ( quoth she ) had they masse in london ? yea forsooth ( quoth i ) in some places : it may be so ( quoth she ) it is not so strange as the sudden conversion of the late * duke , for who would have thought , said shee , hee would have so done ? it was answered her , perchance hee thereby hoped to have had his pardon . pardon ! ( quoth shee ) wo worth him , hee hath brought me and our stock in most miserable calamity and misery by his exceeding ambition ; but for the answering that hee hoped for life by his turning , though other men be of that opinion , i utterly am not : for what man is there living , i pray you , although hee had been innocent , that would hope for life in that case , being in the field against the queen in person as generall , and after his taking so hated and evill spoken of by the commons , and at his coming into prison so wondred at , as the like was never heard by any mans time ; who can judge that hee should hope for pardon , whose life was odious to all men ? but what will yee more ? like as his life was wicked and full of dissimulation , so was his end thereafter : i pray god i , nor no friend of mine die so ; should i , who am young , and in the flower of my yeeres forsake my faith for the love of life ? nay , god forbid ; much more hee should not , whose fatall course , although hee had lived his just number of yeers , could not have long continued : but life was sweet , it appeared so hee might have lived , you will say , hee did not care how ; indeed the reason is good : for hee that would have lived in chains to have his life , belike would leave no means unattempted : but god be mercifull to us , for hee saith , whoso denyeth him before men , hee will not know him in his fathers kingdome . how justly may the masculine constancie of this excellent lady , whose many vertues the pens of her very enemies have acknowledged , rise up in judgement against all such poore spirits , who for feare of death , or other outward motives , shall deny god and his truth , and so crown the trophees of the antichristian or mongrill adversaries by their lamentable apostasie . for what shee here spake christianly , shee within a few moneths after performed constantly , her life being taken from her on the 12th day of february , 1553. having lived first to see mr. harding her fathers chaplain revolted to antichrist , to whom she wrote an effectuall letter of admonition and reproof , published by mr. fox in his acts and monuments , p. 1291. not unworthy the perusall of the ablest christians and greatest doctors . sect. ix . as it is against the dictamen of reason , to make matter of religion a capitall crime , so it is against the rules of policy it self , in respect that heresie and falshood , which would in time die of themselves , are thereby increased & propagated , and so the end for which force and violence are used , is no wayes obtained thereby . this was verified in the death of prisciliian the heretique of old , by which his followers were mightily encreased , and having before but reverenced him as a holy man , did afterwards adore him as a martyr . the present age verifies it in the death of michael servetus the spaniard , and other anabaptists , though most necessarily cut off by the sword of the magistrate , for their blasphemous opinions and lawless tenets , tending to the utter subversion of all civill government . the anabaptists in their dialogues , published in the english tongue in queen maries dayes , though they craftily withdrew many of their anarchicall tenets ( agreeing almost verbatim with the workes since penned by james arminius , and the latter anabaptists ) doe extoll that servetus as a prophet of the lord ; and their numbers are at this day so increased , as they constitute or make a considerable party in divers parts of christendome . but those cursed enemies of the truth , that thinke by persecuting it , to abolish it , as they fight against god himselfe in so doing , so have they heretofore , and shall still in despight of all their devillish policy for the time to come increase and propagate the same . this , if all other instances wanted , would sufficiently appeare in that famous example of an english schoolmaster , a most zealous papist in the dayes of king edward the sixt , who afterwards in the beginning of queen maries government , frequenting the fires of some of the martyrs , was so convinced with hearing what they spake , and seeing how chearfully they suffered , as he himselfe relinquishing the former ignorance and idolatry he had so long embraced , at last witnessed the truth with his own bloud . not he onely , but many thousands also besides , were doubtless inabled by the cleare shining of those fires , to discerne the foulnesse of those mysteries of darkness , under which they had been so long held captive . and after her short raigne ( infamoused by so much bloud-shed ) was expired , it facilitated the way for her royall sister elizabeth to restore the truth at an easie rate . when the executioner came behind john hus , to kindle the pile that encompassed him : come hither my friend , ( said he ) and kindle it here before , for had i feared what thou bringest , i had not appeared at this stake to day . his death brought so incredible progresse to the true church in bohemia , as did also that of jerome of prague his contemporanie , that their bloudy persecutors had just cause within a few yeares after their decease , to acknowledge their own errour in having hastened their ends . as fruitfull a seed-time to the church in france , proved the death of annas burgus , a senator of paris , in the yeare 1559. under francis the second . a man he was so vertuous and innocent in his life , as some of the very enemies of the truth laboured his delivery when he was in prison , and so resolute and chearfull in his death , as it incouraged thousands in that kingdome , in the constant profession of the reformed religion . what better successe had all the bloudy executions of ferdinand de toledo , that merciless duke of alva , and of his new erected bishops in the lower germany , but that the gospel at the last got the victory over hell , and all the powers of darkness ? neither indeed could those cruell inquisitors have expected other issue , had they but truly considered what religion had been ; and that princes and states may command the bodies , but not the soules and consciences of men ; which having been once perswaded by instruction and information to embrace and beleeve any opinions , though hereticall , and therefore much more the truth it selfe , can never be driven from them , but by the same meanes of a further and more cleare instruction . the godly have ever lookt upon chaines , prisons , racks , and fires , as the tryall and reward of their faith , more fearing to doe evill , then to suffer evill , well knowing that they shall neither suffer more , nor their cruell enemies be able to inflict more , then god shall turne to his own endlesse glory , and their everlasting good . did the heathen poet desire to be sent back to the mines ( a life more tedious then that of the gallyes ) rather then he would commend a few bad verses , contrary to his judgement ? could epicurus , that impure philosopher , say of a wise man , that if he were scorched in phalaris bull , he would not be moved with it , but onely cry out , dulce est , & ad me non attinet ? or the young stoick in gellius , to maintaine the apathie of his sect , neither groane nor frowne in the midst of a burning feaver ? and shall we thinke that gods saints who have their reason heightened and irradiated by grace , and their soules immoveably founded upon a lively and living faith , will feare to lose their estates , liberties , and lives for the truths sake ? no doubtless , but as the gold is tryed by the furnace , and cleared from the drosse , so in time of persecution they shall be discerned from all hypocrites , atheists , libertines , and time-servers whatsoever . sect. x. but oh that princes and great ones would shake off those fleshflyes and sycophants , who tell them the contrary , and know the truth to be that nothing can more infamouze their raignes and memories to posterity , nothing bring more inevitable ruine to their persons , nothing finally prove so deadly a consumption amongst their posterity , as to inforce the consciences of their subjects , by fines , imprisonments , subscriptions , recantations , depauperations , and death . charles the fift having obtained the imperiall chaire , by the money and meanes of henry the eighth of england , was the most potent emperour that ever germany had , as long as he maintained the peace of religion , but having yeelded to the popes instigations , and prospered a while in his intended extirpation of the truth , he found at last by experience what his brave and valiant generall castaldus had foretold him ; that these violent proceedings would in the end prove fatall to himselfe ; for having first fled away at mid-night in a cold and rainy season from onspruch , for feare of the protestant army , he was afterwards ( in stead of setling his sonne philip in his own chaire , which he had fully intended ) faine to surrender up the empire to ferdinand his brother , who for divers moneths before had entred into a secret league with the protestant princes of germany , and so having lived a few yeares after in a despised and disconsolate solitude , heat last ended his life very ingloriously . his sonne philip the second , the most inveterate enemy of the gospel that ever lived , did not onely set up shambles and butcheries for gods saints in most of his own large dominions by his inquisitors , but continually ayded the rebells in france , england , and ireland , against their lawfull soveraignes , and plotted to invade all other protestant dominions in christendome , that so at last by one generall carnage of them all , he and his holy father the pope , might have shared the christian world by a double monarchy of the church and empire between them . but did this bloudy prince prosper in these his ambitious and cruell designes ? certainly , nothing lesse ; for what got he by his invading france by land , england and ireland by sea , and by his large pensions conferred on the traytors and secret enemies of either state ; but that in the issue having wasted about thirty millions of money upon those fruitless designs , and not gained a foot of ground in either of those realmes , he lost a great part of the seventeen provinces , with whom having broken the oath solemnly sworne to them upon his inauguration , they by assistance of england , and france , freed themselves from his unjust oppression and tyranny ? neither did the divine justice let him so escape , but raised a fire in his own house , so as the jeast of augustus touching herod , might well be verified in him , that it had been better to have been his swine then his sonne . for whereas he had issue by mary his first wife , the daughter of john the third of that name , king of portugall , one onely sonne called charles , a prince of admirable towardlinesse ; he during the life of englands unhappy mary , his second wife , treated a marriage for his said sonne with elizabeth the eldest daughter of henry the second of france ; during the treaty mary his wife dying , he marries the princesse elizabeth himselfe , intended for his sonne : they both often in private after never forgetting their old affection , lament their unhappy losse each of other : the sonne also distasts his fathers cruelties , and the butcheries of his inquisitors . this enraged his jealous father , who having in the yeare 1568. first imprisoned him , within a few dayes after poysoned him in a dish of broath . his mother in law followed him within a few moneths after , sent out of the world by the same kind hand and meanes , ( say the french writers ) the violence of the poyson causing her to miscarry also by an abortion . and then was philip the father put to seek out a fourth wife , and having married anne the daughter of mary , his own naturall sister , he had issue by her , ferdinand and james , both cut off by death in their infancy , and philip who being the onely issue of this incestuous match , lived to inherit his fathers dominions , though not the full measure of his cruelties , having been perhaps forewarned by his sad and loathsome end , to pursue a more milde and peaceable government . rodolph the second of that name , emperour of germany , not following the steps of the wise maximilian his father , but of the foresaid philip his brother in law , sought by all secret and hostile means to enervate and destroy religion in the empire . what got he by it , but to have the curse of the scripture to fall upon him ; that the elder brother should serve the younger ? for matthias the arch-duke of austria , raising an army in the yeere 1608. and joyning his forces with those of the oppressed protestants in bohemia , hemmed up his brother rodolph in prague , got the kingdom of hungary from him in possession , the empire in reversion , and left him only the robes and complements of majesty ; which notorious affront he did not long over-live , nor ever had the means or power to revenge . sect. xi . if wee passe out of spain and germany , from the house of austria into france , to consider the sad successes of the princes of the valesian line , upon their hatred and persecution of religion , wee shall see so many instances of gods just indignation against them , as they may not only leave to all posterity a just ground of admiration , but save us the labour also of searching any further back into the elder histories of gods judgements powred out on the persecuting emperours in the primitive times . henry the second of france , was meanly married to katherine de medices , the niece of pope clement the seventh , during the life of francis the dolphine , his elder brother , afterwards poysoned . that prudent prince , francis the first , his father deceasing , hee succeeded him in his throne and purple , and swayed the french scepter divers yeers , with much tranquillity and happinesse , till loathing the coiture of his queen , unfit indeed for a princes bed , he grew highly enamoured on pictavia of valence , a woman of exquisite beauty and good extraction : with whom hee long after lived in continuall advowtrie , and was by her enticed to the persecution and slaughter of the protestants , in the yeere 1553. that so by the confiscation of their lands and goods , shee might enrich her self and her kindred . this persecution set a period to all his former victories , and was followed the next yeere with the losse of the city of senis in italy to the spaniard , the death of that gallant old generall leo strozzi , by a base hand , and the overthrow of the french army by james de medices . in the yeer 1556. the violence of persecution was again renewed against the professors of the truth , and the very next yeer following , as before , god again gave up the french army to the slaughter of the spaniards , and the dutch , at the fiege and battell of st. quintins , in which there were about 3000. slain upon the place , and many of them signall men , and the town soone after taken in by assault , annas duke of memorancie himself , the constable of france , gasper de colignie , earle of caestilion , admirall of france , the marshall of st andrew , the duke of longevile , and a number of other great peers were taken prisoners . in summe , the losse and slaughter was so great and fatall to the french , as it well-neer equalled that victory obtained by the duke of bourbon , at the battell of pavia in italy , against francis the first his father ; yet henry the second still shuts his eyes against the cause of all these losses , and having his heart already cauterized by lust , he not only caused the godly to be committed to the flames , but would needs view their torments himself , as a pleasing spectacle , and had conspired and combined with philip the second of spain , his new sonne in law , for the utter ruine and finall subversion of geneva : nay , but a few houres before his death , in the yeer 1559. lodowick faber , and annas burgus , two senators of paris , because they had spoken a little freely for the innocency and piety of the protestants in the open senate , were imprisoned upon his expresse command in the bastile in the same city by gabriel earle of mongomery , one of the captains of his guard ; and the persecution against all others of the same profession grew hot and furious , when the king upon the 29th of june the same yeere , running at tilt with that very earle of mongomery , and neer the very baslile , where the senators remained prisoners , was struck with a splinter of mongomeries speare through his eye into his brain , and never had the happinesse to speak any one word after , though he survived the wound a few dayes , or to acknowledge his former lust and cruelty . had the papists but such an instance of gods immediate providence in vindicating their cause , we should soon heare of one true miracle amidst so many false and adulterate . but if wee further looke to gods hand that followed this prince in his posterity , it will yet seem the greater miracle ; for of five sons hee had , all except one , died without lawfull issue to survive them , and three of them by violent deaths , and in his posterity ended the valesian line , the crown devolving thereupon to the royall branch of clermont , commonly called bourbon , whom his sons had most bitterly hated and persecuted . of all his five daughters , three died issuless , and the eldest that had issue was cut off by poyson . nay , his very bastard son , henry of engolisme , a great actor amongst others in the massacre of paris , perished also by the stab of philip altovit a florentine , his old enemy , in the yeer , 1586. during the raign of henry the third his brother . sect. xii . for charles the ninth ( third son of henry the second aforesaid ) that succeeded francis the second his brother , in the kingdome of france , in the yeer 1560. had he continued his raign with as much mercy and wisdome as he began it , or followed the grave and seasonable advice of michael hospitalius his chancellor in his latter yeers , as well as he did in his former , he had in all likelihood lived as vertuously as hee died miserably . hee had scarce raigned two yeers in peace and plenty , when katherine de medices his mother , desiring to vest and settle the regencie in her self , by raising combustions in the realm , began to perswade her son to revive and renew those persecutions against the protestants which his father had begun ; shee reconciled her self to francis lorainer , duke of guise , whom but a little before she had justly feared and hated , being a secret enemy to lewes de clermont , prince of conde : he and the marshall of st andrew having gained annas de memorancy , constable of france to their party , conspired all together for the utter ruine of the truth . the protestants in the mean , seeing the king in his infancy , to be held captive , as it were , by this triumvirate , take up arms by the queen-mothers own instigation , to maintain the kings edict of pacification , published in the yeer 1561. and commonly called the edict of january . the yeer following , by the instigation of the same triumvirate , not only the queen-mother , but anthony de clermont ( usually sirnamed bourbon ) king of navar also , ( who yet died a protestant ) was drawn on to assail the said protestants by open force , they in the mean time filling the queen-mothers ears with these vain flatteries , that she should soon see the utter ruine of all the heretikes in france ; from which time that goodly kingdome , so rich , peaceable and flourishing , for neer upon forty yeers together , ( some short times of truce and peace being interposed ) was filled with cruelties , ravages , ravishments , blood-shedding , battels , sires , slaughters , and all other calamitous desolations that accompany intestine and civill broiles ; in the issue of all which , the protestants being increased in their strength and numbers , obtained a more firm and advantageous peace then ever they had before enjoyed : whereas those three incendiaries of all these miseries perished within a few yeers after , by the just judgement of god , in the very act of their hostile pursuements of his children : the marshall of saint andrew was slain at the battell of dreux , annas de memorancie under the very walls of paris , and francis lorainer , duke of guise , was pistolled by john poltrot , at the siege of orleance . king charles seeing that open force could not destroy the truth , nor root out the professors thereof , about two yeers before the hellish massacre began at paris , and continued to the perpetuall infamy of france in divers other cities in that realm , held a secret councell in the castle of blois with katherine de medices his mother , alexander and hercules ( called also henry and francis ) his two brothers , and henry lorainer , son and heir of the before pistolled duke francis , duke of guise ; by what means they might best draw the protestants into their toile to destroy and murther them . the same councell was held again by king charles in the house of hieronimo de gondy at st. clou , and the time and order of the bloody marriage banquet to be served in at the nuptials of the king of navar , with the lady margaret his sister , was there agreed upon , and resolved of , almost , in the same manner as it was afterwards put in execution upon the 24. day of august , being st bartholomews day , in the yeer 1572. in which were most inhumanely slaughtered within the space of few dayes , of men , women and children , many of them also being great and honourable personages of either sex , about thirty thousand : and while the duke of guise was busie in prosecuting that mercilesse and inhumane execution , it was seriously advised upon , and disputed of , in the queen-mothers cabinet-councell , whether it were not necessary that hee himself , and the rest of his family then there , should also be dispatched at the same time in that tumult : king charles himself never saw good day after that bloody massacre , although his court sycophants had promised him it should prove the first happy day of his absolute monarchie ; for though hee had been long drenched in lust , ( a sin seldome separated from a persecutor ) by his ordinary advowtrie with a mean wench of orleance , on whom hee begot charles of engolisme , after earle of auvergne ; and though he had been trained up by his mother , to see the flaughter of beasts , and ever in the chases loved to both his hands in the bloud of the fallen game , ( all which might have served to have stupefied his conscience , as they did enflame his fierce and cruell nature ) yet so stinging a remorse in his inward man did ever pursue and haunt him after that mercilesse slaughter accomplished chiefly by his often swearing and forswearing himself , ( by which the queen of navar , and the admirall chasrilion were deceived ) as that his eyes rolled often uncertainly in the day with feare and suspicion ; and his sleep was usually interrupted in the night with dismall dreams & apparitions , like r. 3. of england , after the murther of his two nephews in the tower of london ; nay , though he survived not this inhumane slaughter sull two yeares , yet had he plotted and decreed the death of the said henry duke of guise , and the removall of his queen-mother & her instruments from the helm of state : but some of his agents that were to have acted these last feats , playing false with him , ( as he had some few dayes before the said massacre poysoned that incomparable princesse for learning and piety , joan d'albret queen of navar , grandmother to lewes the thirteenth , now king of france : ) so did his mother or the duke of guise , by way of prevention or anticipation minister to him his fatall physick , of which , after many sharp and grievous torments , he deceased upon whitsunday , having not then attained to the five and twentieth yeare of his age , in the yeare 1574. the violence of the venome leaving in his intrailes ( as appeared upon his distection ) many blew spots and swellings . sect. xiii . we have seen the gain and advantage that king charles the ninth of france made by his barbarous persecutions , 't is likely that those very flatterers which assured him those cruelties should make him an absolute monarch , did help to absolve him of his monarchy . he had his punishment first , his mother , his two brethren , the cardinal & duke of guise , that had not only joyned with him in it , but encouraged him to it , they still survived him , and for ought men saw , were firmly stablished in much safety and prosperity ; though guise might have been warned by the death of claude , duke of aumale his brother , slain at the siege of rochel , in the yeare 1573. the first act by which henry the third ( the new french king , and brother and heir of charles deceased ) discovered his impotency of spirit , and want of judgement , was his clandestine and sudden stealing out of poland , where he had been but a few moneths before elected and crowned king : this was the first unfortunate step of his following his mothers weak dictates , and rejecting the able advises of his own councell . but her next instructions which shee as fatally gave him , as he weakly pursued , being to root out the professors of the truth with fire and sword , involved him and his kingdome into innumerable miseries . the good emperour maximilian the second , in the kings passage out of poland through germany , and the venetian state , during his stay there , gave him both of them more faithfull counsell , earnestly advising him to maintain the former edicts of pacification , and not to enforce the consciences of men in matter of religion : the same opinion was generally held by his wisest counsellers , and by all sober and discreet romanists at home , who saw plainly , that the protestants encreasing was the onely meanes now left under heaven , in time at length , to draw the pope and his conclave to yeeld to some reformation of the church , which it exceedingly needed . but other papists there were of loose and atheisticall lives , as lewes lorainer , cardinall of guise , henry lorainer his elder brother , duke of guise , renate villoclare , ( a man , saith incomparable monsieur de thou , fatally preferred to this kings attendance by his mother ) and divers others , who perswaded the king to break the former edicts of pacification , and never to sheath his sword , till he had utterly ruined the protestants of france , whom some of their foul-mouthed fellow-brethren , protestants of this age , have stiled french puritanes , and would , perhaps , had they lived in his time , have joyned their ghostly advices with those of the cardinall of guise for the utter extirpation of all such as dissented in judgement or practice from themselves in matter of ceremony . i have often wondred in the perusall of the story of this king , whose troublesome raign did necessitate his frequent consultations ; that when divers advices were propounded , he ever pitched upon the worst and most fatall to himselfe : but i found the two main causes of it to be ; first , his blind and inveterate hatred of the truth : and secondly , his weak and degenerate spirit , by which the house of guise , the arch-enemies of the gospel , became at the last so potent , and triumphed so notoriously over his impotency , as they forced him to seek to those very protestants for support , against whom himself had taken a most wicked and solemn oath , as the head of a faction amongst his own subjects , for their utter subversion . infinite almost , was the treasure he spent upon his minions and pleasures , ( his very expences for maintenance of his dogs onely in that age , amounting unto twenty thousand pounds yearely at least ) but most was exhausted in the prosecution of his civill wars against the protestants , and his servile ancillating therein to the ambition of others . guise and his faction now grown strong , ( and assured of support from philip the second of spain , ) after his expelling the king out of paris , and heaping a world of other insolent affronts upon him , was drawn by him in the yeare 1588. to the assembly then held at blois ; he came thither with lewes lorainer , cardinall of guise his brother , and charles prince of jenvile his son , upon the same royall assurance of safety with which charles the ninth had ( by his advice ) deceived the protestants before the inhumane massacre in the yeare 1572. and now let all popish and popishly addicted , pseudo-lutherans , who make it a sport to fine , imprison , suspend , vex , and impoverish their fellow-christians for the lightest matter , draw neer and stand amazed at gods secret judgements : for during this assembly at blois , was this henry , duke of guise , slaughtered , against the publike faith given him , not onely within the castle of blois , but in that very room in which sixteen yeares before he had advised the bloudy massacre of paris to be committed and executed . two circumstances also that attended his fatall minute , do adde much horror to the punishment it selfe : the first , that he was but new risen from the bed of his adulterate lust , the very morning he was murthered , having not been able to conquer the chastity of a gentlewoman attending the queen-mother before that night ; and therefore was so eager upon reaping the fruits of his long fiege , as he repaired not to the councel-chamber till he was often sent for , and scarce ready . the second , in the manner of his first wound , which was given him in his throat , and caused immediately the bloud so abundantly to stream out of his mouth , as he never had time once to call on god for mercy or forgivenesse , but spent the last minute of his life , in the revenging himself on his murtherers . a little after the cardinall of guise his brother , a great gamester at cards and dice , perished likewise in the same castle of blois , by a violent death . katherine de medices , the queen-mother , who had been the chief cause , for neer upon thirty yeers before her death , of the shedding so much innocent blood in france , being present at the same time , in the castle of blois , stormed secretly , that so great an action should be entred into , and gone through without her advice ; and ( when she understood that charles lorainer , duke of maine was escaped , being the younger brother of the murthered duke of guise ; ) presaged to the king her son , the sad issue of that rash attempt , which he interpretting ( as it seems ) to be rather the expression of her wishes then her fears ; and having , by many wofull experiences , seen the effects of her italian revengefull spirit , took a course to pacifie her wrath ; for not long after , she there ended her unhappy life by poyson , ( saith elias reusner ) in the same castle also , where she held the first secret and bloody councell for the execution of the foresaid inhumane massacre . francis her youngest son , died before her , upon the tenth day of june , 1584. in the one and thirtieth yeer of his age , of so violent a poyson ministred to him , doubtlesse by some of the hispaniolized guisards , as it caused his very blood to gush out of his body in severall places ; the sight of which purple streams , might well call upon him to remember with what inhumane triumph he trampled on the bloody streets of paris , in the great slaughter committed on gods saints and martyrs , about twelve yeers before . there now only remained henry the third , the french king alive , of all the first contrivers and principall executioners of that inhumane massacre , which no age , no time , no action of the most barbarous nations of the world could ever pattern ; neither believe i , can any ancient or modern history parallel the following punishments of the chief actors therein in all respects : who not only all of them perished by violent and bloody ends , but proved also the murtherers one of another . charles lorainer duke of maine was presently upon the death of his brother , made generall of the holy league ; paris it self , and in a manner , all the popish cities beyond the loire , giving up their names and forces to the henotick faction , supported by pope sixtus the fifth , from rome , and philip the second from spain . when the king saw that neither his acting the monk with the flagellators , nor his playing the persecutor against the protestants would secure him from a speedy ruine , by the violent hands of the rebels : he sends to the victorious king of naver , his brother in law , and to the euangelicall army , before whose known valour the popish forces hastened back from the loire to the seine ; henry the third pursues them , and pitched his royall pavilion at st clou , not far from the gates of paris . but his old cruelties and persecutions of the godly , were doubtlesse the remora of his new expected victories ; and the divine providence so ordered it , that in the very place where the last resolution was taken by himself , his mother , his brethren , and others , for the speedy execution of the before-mentioned belluine massacre , about seventeen yeers before , nay , in the very same house of hierome de gondy , and in the very same roome or chamber ( saith john de serres ) was he murthered by james clement , a jesuited monk , in the yeer 1589. and in the thirty and ninth yeer of his age . the assassination was furthered by the authority of pope sixtus the fifth , by the seditious preachings of the jesuites , priests , and friers , in paris , ( who had secretly drawn infinite numbers into open rebellion before , by their auricular confession ) and by the perswasion of the lady katharine mary , dutchesse of mompensier , sister of the deceased duke of guise , whose horrible transport with malice against the protestant party , and desire of revenge against the king himself , did so far excaecate and blind her nobler endowments , as she prostituted her body to that jesuited wretch ( as impartiall de thou himself relates ) to incourage him the more in the accomplishment of the murther , and so to stupefie and harden his soul by that fatall sin of lust , that it might not startle at the commission of any other wickednesse whatsoever . yet as this king some moneths before his death altered his former bloody resolutions against gods servants , so did the divine providence at his death afford him some hours of repentance and sorrow , after the bloody knife had been sheathed in his belly : in which he acknowledged his error and sin ; his error , in having been so long mis-led by his ambitious and factious vassalls ; his sin , in having persecuted his protestant subjects , and inforced the consciences of many to submit to popery against the known truth by cruelty and threatning . sect. xiv . in this fifteenth age also ( within the compasse of which wee shall confine our discovery of gods judgements upon persecuting princes ) the truth began to spread forth its beames in this other world of great britain , in a more resplendent lustre then formerly : not but that i dare undertake to prove by some select , and perhaps , fearce known monuments of antiquity , that the gospel was planted here in the primitive time , that the protestants religion flourished here neer upon four hundred yeers , before austine the monk , the first popish archbishop of canterbury , poysoned the purity of gods worship with his burthensome trinkets and ceremonies . finally , that it was from the first plantation preserved amongst the welsh and scots , to the dayes of john wickleffe , without any interruption , and was secretly practised also in england from henry the seconds time , at the least , to the begun reformation of king edward the sixth . but this requiring a reasonable volume of it self to be at large deduced , i must passe over , as improper for this place . we may begin in england with henry the eighth , in whose raign no papist can deny , but that divers protestants were not only hunted after , fined , imprisoned , compelled to abjure , and otherwise disciplined ; but were likewise consumed in the merciless flames , as heretiques . and therefore when the papall side take so much pains to recount either the ill successes of his own raign ; or the dying issulesse of all his posterity , as the signes and characters of gods indignation against him , they do but furnish the orthodox party with weapons against themselves . for the truth is , he did only abolish the usurped power of the bishop of rome , not the pontifician or papall church , which to this day , as also in the former ages in france , hath been so hedged up and incircled under certain restrictions and limits , as it is of small consequence to help the prelates , and of little power to hurt the king ; so that cuffetellus the dominican proved it at large in an elaborate work , published in the yeer 1609. and the sorbonists determined it in the yeer 1611. that the pope had no power or jurisdiction in that kingdome in matter of temporalities . neither did henry the eighth in england proceed any further in this particular of abolishing the popes power , then those his two coaetaneous princes , francis the first , and charles the fifth , did at sundry times in their severall dominions , upon lesse provocations : so the same charles the fifth , writing to the councell assembled at bononie , superscribed his letters only , conventui bononiae , as did afterwards henry the second of france , writing to the tridentine conspirators , fule it only the convention of trent ; who also in the former and better part of his raign fairly cut shorter a great-part of the popes ecclesiasticall authority in france . and how little philip the second himself of spain , the sworn enemy of the godly , regarded the pope further then he did ancillate to his ambitious ends , appeares plainly in this one particular , that when upon the unfortunate death of sebastian , king of portugall there were divers competitors for that kingdome , and that don antonio had already assumed the title thereof , he would not admit the popes intercession to have the matter composed by treaty , or referre the cause to his decision : nay , that bloody charles of france , of whose fatall end we have but a while before discoursed , when pius the fourth , in the yeer 1563. had cited odetus de coligny , cardinall of chastillion , john de monluce , bishop of valence , and others of his subjects , to appeare at rome before his inquisitors , he sent him a stout message by henry clutinius his ambassador then at rome , that if hee did not speedily withdraw that citation , hee would no longer acknowledge him for pope . at which bold declaration , the pope and his conclave being affrighted , the prosecution of that businesse ceased by the very withdrawing of the citation it self , and by the popes future silence . all which open affronts , the popes in this fifteenth age after our bleffed saviours incarnation , endured from these kings ; not because they were more deare to their subjects then their predecessors , or the popes lesse potent then in former times , ( for their strength in italy was more encreased in that age , then in ten fore-going ) but indeed it was the light of the gospel that began about these times to dawn every where , that made way for dispelling those chains of darknesse , with which both prince and people had in those former ages been enfettered ; so as the pope fearing , lest all should fall from him , as some germane princes , republiques , and cities had already done , was fain to comply with the french king , to submit to the emperor , and to court the king of england , by the intercession of foraine princes for a reconcilement . but to proceed from henry the eighth of england , the father to mary queen of the same realm , his daughter , of whom , and her wisdome , the pontificians so much boast . it is certain that she entred her raign with the breach of her publique faith ; for whereas the crown was set on her head by the german and commons of suffolk , although they knew her to be a papist , ( which shewes that the godly protestant usually nicknamed by those that are prophane , lustfull , and popishly affected , is the best subject any soveraign can be happy in ) yet she in one of her first acts of councell , took order for their restraint , long before the masse and latine service were generally received in london it self , and caused that diocesse to taste the sharpest inquisition and persecution that raged during her raign , which was happily shortened by her husbands contemning her person , and her enemies conquering her dominions ; neither of which she ever had power to revenge , or recover ; so as though the cause of her death proceeded from no outward violence , yet was her end as inglorious and miserable , as her raign had been turbulent and bloody . she might have taken warning by the sudden and immature death of james the fifth king of scotland , her cousin germane , who raising persecution in scotland against his loyall and innocent protestant subjects , in the yeere 1539. burning some , exiling and imprisoning others , and forcing many to blaspheme , in abjuring the known truth , by the advice and procurement of james beton , archbishop of st andrews , and david beton , abbot of arbroth his brother , never saw good day after : two brave young princes his sons were the yeer following cut off by abortive ends in their cradles . wars to his great losse and disadvantage were raised between himself and his uncle henry the eighth king of england , and all things fell out so crosse to his haughty and vast minde , as it hastened his death , which fell out in the yeere 1542. sect. xv . were the histories of popish prelates worthy to be joyned to those of kings and princes , wee might fill up a large tract with gods judgements powred upon them : for as most of them have been given up to lust and crapulositie , so have many of them been bitter enemies of the truth , and stingie persecutors . we have seen the fall of the cardinall of guise , and all ages have cause to admire the exemplary judgements of god powred out upon that bastard-slip , stephen gardner , bishop of winchester , in the very instant of his plauditees and caresses for the vivicombury of reverend latimer , and learned ridley . but i shall content my selfe to have abstracted , as a taste for the rest , the notorious punishments inflicted by a higher hand upon two arch-prelates , the one of england , the other of scotland : thomas arundell arch-bishop of canterbury , having been the successefull traytor , by the help of his reverend fellow-bishops , to establish henry the 4th in the throne of r. the second his liege lord , and cousin-german , pressed the new king ( whose broken title needed his prelates supportment ) to use his temporall sword for the destroying the disciples of john wicklesse , whose numbers were so increased at that time , as they even filled the kingdome ; the king assents , and having by their mercilesse instigation shed the bloud of gods saints , he raigned neither long nor happily : h. 5. a brave and martiall prince , his son , succeeding him , the protestants began to meet more publikely , and to professe the truth more openly then before ; the archbishop thereupon renews his former suit to the son he had before pressed with successe upon the father , and prevailed . in particular , he first aimed at the destruction of sir john de old castle , knight , commonly called the lord cobham , who had most affronted him . this noble gentleman was extracted from an ancient family of wales , where he had large possessions , and much alliance , by whose means he after lay long-hidden there , notwithstanding all the search his bloudy enemies made after him : he had issue by katherine , daughter of richard ap yevan his first wife , john , who died before himself , and henry de old castle , who survived him , and to whom king henry the sixth , in the 7th yeare of his raign , restored divers mannors and lands which had been entailed upon him ; he married to his last wife , joan , the sole daughter and heire of sir john de la pole , knight , whom he had begotten upon the sole daughter and heire of the lord cobham of kent , which joan had been first married to sir robert de hemenhale a suffolk knight , and was secondly the wife of sir reginald de braybroke , knight , by whom shee had onely issue that survived her ; the said sir john de old castle her third husband , in her right enjoyed the castle of couling in kent , and many other large and great possessions ; and by the marriage of her also he was neerly allied to the duke of suffolk , the earl of devonshire , and many other great peers of the realme at that time , and did doubtlesse enjoy the stile and title of baron cobham , as is infallibly proved by severall writs of summons sent unto him , being all entred upon record in the close rolls , by which he was summoned to assist in the house of peers in parliament by that name , in the time of h. 4. and h. 5. all which i have thought fit to transmit to posterity touching this noble martyr , being no where to be found in any publike story , not onely to shew how many supportments he had , besides the favour of king henry himself , to have retarded the clergie from questioning him , but also , how easily he was destroyed by the bloudy prelates of those endarkened times , when the soveraign had but permitted them the use of his power to ancillate to their cruell resolutions ; of which impotent act of the kings , saith archbishop parker himselfe , rex virum clarum sibique familiarissimum episcoporum potestati , & carnificinae permisit , who yet overlived that excarnificating arch-prelate two yeares at the least : for the archbishop having murthered divers godly martyrs in h. 4. time , and been a great stickler in state-affaires , when long before he procured himself to be made lord chancellor of england ; and lastly , in a synod held by himself at rochester , having forbad the reading of the scriptures in english , and limited preachers under a heavie censure what they should treat upon in the pulpit , was soon cut short himself by the immediate hand of god , after he had condemned that warlike gentleman , sir john de old castle , lord cobham , before he could see him executed , his tongue being so benummed and swoln , that he could neither swallow nor speak , as thomas gascon relates in his theologicall dictionary , for a few dayes before his death , it being , faith another , the just judgement of god upon him ( and may be a faire warning to all other wicked popish prelates ) that as he had muzled up the mouths of preachers , and kept the scriptures from the knowledge of the people being their spirituall food ; so he should neither be able to speak nor to swallow from that very minute this judgement fell first upon him , but died within a few dayes after in great torment and extremity , by a languishing silence and famishment . the last example is of later dayes , and concernes the admirable punishment of david beton , archbishop of st. andrews in scotland , being also a member of the purpurated conclave at rome , he had continued divers yeares an inveterate enemy of the gospel in that kingdome , under james the fifth , and after his death taking advantage of the infancy and pupillary age of the princesse mary , the hereditary queen of that realme , he thought it a work worthy of himself to double-die his cardinall robes in the bloud of the saints ; and therefore , to make a sull and cleare way for that his sanguinary project , he forged a will of the deceased king , establishing himself chief regent there during the young ladies incapability to govern ; from which , upon the discovery of his false play , he being removed , and a while committed to safe custody , he was no sooner delivered , but he presently enterprised to raise a new and fatall war between england and scotland , and to root out the professors of the truth , by a violent and bloudy persecution . amongst others , cited and imprisoned , or exiled in the yeare 1545. he seized on george wischart , a very eloquent and learned preacher , who by the latine writers of that age , is surnamed sophocardius , and contrary to their own popish canons , adjudged him to present death himself , ( which is never done , except in the merciless inquisition of spain , by those bloudy wolves themselves , but by delivering the martyrs into the power of the lay-magistrate ) and in the court before his castle of st. andrews , caused the same to be executed , the said george being first strangled , and his body afterwards burnt to ashes , the cardinall in the mean time had a chamber prepared for him , with carpets and cushions on the windows , out of which to be a triumphant spectator of this godly mans murther , from which he departed not more delighted then ( as he himself thought ) secured , beginning to fortifie his said castle against all assaults : but gods judgement from eternity awarded against him for this latter as well as his former cruelties exercised upon his faithfull servants , slept not ; for within a few weeks after , the cardinall having falsified his promise to the lord norman lesle , son of the earle of rothsey , a devout romanist , he upon the thirteenth day of may , the same yeare , with some fourteen resolute gentlemen in his company , entred the same castle of st. andrewes , where the cardinall lay ; and having first assured himself of the command within , and the gates without , he executed that bloudy prelate in his bed , without law or justice , who had but a little before , most unjustly condemned and murthered the aforesaid george wischart ; and willing to expose the dead carcasse of that purpurated persecutor , as it were , all weltered and besmeared with bloud to the view of the people , who abhorred his cruelties , and rejoyced at his fall ; they casually and contingently laid it along to be seen of all men upon that very window out of which a little before , leaning at his ease upon rich cushions , he had proudly beheld the butchering of that godly martyr . the cardinals end , 't is likely , had neither been so sudden nor so shamefull , had he followed the wholsome counsell and seasonable advice of john viniram a learned priest and moderate papist , who by his command preaching before him and divers others of the romish clergie then assembled together , for the condemnation of that godly martyr , george wischart , told them plainly , that nothing did more encrease the number of heretiques , then their own stupid ignorance and wicked lives ; and that there was no other sword to be used for their extirpation then that of gods word , by which they were to be tryed and convinced , because every error which might properly and truly be called an heresie , was directly and flatly against the same written word . sect. xvi . it may somewhat amaze the reason and judgement of any moderate man , though an atheist , why the pope himself or his prelates and clergie should so extreamely hate and violently persecute ( even more cruelly then they doe jewes or turks ) the evangelicall partie , and especially those of the french , scottish and helvetick confession , who doe commonly joyn eminency of piety and godlinesse , with a most sound and absolute body of doctrine agreeable with that of the primitive church . but if wee consider that the pope himselfe , all popish or popishly affected prelates , and all the romish rabble , like the scribes and priests in our saviours dayes , ayme nothing at all at gods glory , or the salvation of mens soules , but onely at the maintenance of their wealth , pride and tyranny , not intending to yeeld an inch or haires breadth to any the least reformation : wee cannot but see that their self-love , and wallowing in all sensualitie , is the cause of the hatred of the godly , who both by their lives and writings condemne and oppose their wickednesse and errors : for as the persecutions of the arrians against the orthodox fathers exceeded the cruelty of the heathen emperours , so hath that of the romish babylon far surpassed and out-stript them , both being joyned together , they feare not the diminution of their votaries by the perswasion of jewes or turks , but onely by the sound reasonings of the protestants , whose religion hath already gained from them , not onely cities , republickes , and provinces , but whole kingdomes also ; and therefore seeing the truth it selfe is against them , they count it high time to fall from reasoning to policy , and from institution to cruell persecution , as a ready meanes to carry through their bad cause . incomparable monsieur de thou ( who is a glory to the romish synagogue it selfe , and whose history the most exact and excellent that ever was written by a humane pen , ought alwayes to be deare to the christian world ) discovers plainly to us this truth , in setting downe the bloudy legacy pope paul the third left to his conclave when he died in the yeare 1359. for having called divers of the cardinalls into his bed-chamber , he exhorted them by all meanes to maintaine and continue the office of the inquisition , as the onely meanes left upon earth to establish and support the romish religion : then which confession there can none be more cleare of the falshood of their pretended catholick church ; for if no other way remaine but bloud and butcheries for them to establish and repaire the lofty and proud towers of their babylon , then have they doubtlesse no part left in the church founded by our saviour and his apostles ; for that was at first reared up and finished by the preaching of the gospel , and may certainly be continued and supported to the worlds end by the same meanes . it is not for christians , but for pagans and infidells , who know not the way of instruction , to propagate their gentilisme and idolatry by fire and sword . besides , that epidemicall sinne of lust , both naturall and against nature , being peculiar to the popish prelates , and the rest of their clergie , is a maine ground of their stupefied consciences , and so prepares and fits them for the shedding of innocent bloud , or any other sinne whatsoever . peter espina● , archbishop of lyons in france , was a great persecutor , and a prodigious incestuator with his own sister ; john archbishop of st. andrewes in scotland spent the greater part of the revenues of his sea , and the seizure of the protestants estates ( whose mortall enemy he was ) upon his harlots and revellings ; the cardinall of granvellans veneries were so manifest and numerous , as when in the yeare 1574. the kingdome of tunis , and the fort called the gulet , before accounted impregnable , were wonne by the turke ; the spaniards made a jest of it , and said openly , that the cardinalls breeches had occasioned that losse ; meaning thereby that philip the second relying chiefly upon his advice in that and most of the rest of his important affaires ; his lust so tooke him up , as he had not time to give seasonable counsell . the reckoning up of all these lustfull priests and prelates , who have been persecuters of the truth since the last reformation begun by learned luther , would defile all modest eares to heare , or any christian tongue to relate . it may justly be said of them all , what one delivered of the before-mentioned cardinall beton ; that he wallowed at home in pollution with his harlots , and raged abroad with the bloud and slaughter of the innocent . ockam himselfe in the first part of his dialogues , lib. 5. cap. 16. confesseth that a wicked and an atheisticall life blinds the understanding , and prepares a way for the entertainment of the vilest heresies : how true is this of the romish prelates , who could not possibly swallow down those prodigious errours , and severall kinds or species of idolatry , abhorred of the very moores and turks ; that taking from the commandements one ; that adding to the articles of the creed twelve ; that robbing the people of the cup ; that depriving god of his honour , by praying to men and women departed ; that trampling of christs infinite merits under their prophane feet , by their own merits , and a number of other falshoods , were not their judgements poysoned by their horrible lusts , and other crying sins ? the turks themselves boast at this day , that they first learn'd their sodomie from the italians , and that disorderly brood in italy , may as truly vaunt , that they first learn'd that abomination from those amongst them in orders . was there ever , or shall there ever be , not onely amongst the papists , but amongst the lutherans and pseudo-lutherans , any prelate , or other ecclesiasticall person , that did or shall violently cite , accuse , suspend , fine , imprison , deprive , or murther any godly minister , or other pious christian , who was not , or will not be amongst other vices , guilty of that brutish sin of lust ? and 't is possible , though the back-door be kept never so secret , yet god shall at last , in his judgement , reveale it to the world , as he doth often punish them with that loathsom and infamous disease commensurate to that sin , with which that notable persecutor doctor weston in queen maries dayes in england was so unconcealably smitten , as he was ordinarily branded by a beastly nickname , not beffiting modesty to expresse . sect. xvii . the fruitfull seed-time of severall vices , and of lust especially in the popish prelacie and clergie , brings in a large encrease in the laity also , to fill up the reaping time , or harvest ; and not onely their lust and epicurisme , but their malice against the truth , and thirsting after the bloud of the professors thereof , like a contagious gangrene , hath likewise infected , especially , since the yeare 1500. the vicious and prophane lay-papists themselves . what was escovedo the great instrument of the king of spains cruelties against the evangelicall party in the lower germany , but a lump of lust , which in the end proved fatall to him ? but as the horrible massacre committed in france , in severall places , in the yeare 1572. is not to be paralleld , in respect of the treachery and inhumanity of it in any story of the most barbarous nations of the world : so it will not be amisse , seeing the examples of this kinde would else prove endlesse , to confine our selves , with taking a summary view of the chief undertakers in that master-piece of hell , which was never in any possibilitie to be equalled since , but with the romish powder-plot in england , had it succeeded . to begin with paris it selfe ; the murtherers there , were for the most part , brutish and lustfull souldiers , or prophane varlets of the scumme of the citie , their leaders were indeed more noble , but lesse vertuous : the dukes of guise and aumale , albert gondy , earle of rets , tavanne , and others of them , having been bred up in lusts , revellings , and other aulicall deviations . the place that came neerest to paris in the cruelties of their murthers , was the citie of lyons , where the numbers of the slaine and massacred were so great , as their bodies being cast into the river rosne , corrupted and stained the streame , the violence whereof carrying them downe upon heaps to tornou , and the inhabitants not knowing what they were , but fearing an invasion by enemies or robbers , assembled themselves in armes together for their mutuall defence . the chief abetters and ring-leaders of which butchery , monsieur de thou himselfe confesseth to have been boidon , mornieu , and clou , three of the most wicked and vilest varlets that a kingdome could harbour : which boidon was after executed at clermont , in auvergne ; and if merniue escaped a shamefull end , yet doubtlesse he deserved it as well as his fellow-persecutor , having before , as witnesseth serranus , procured the murther of his own father . at tholouse also , a few dayes after , there was a great slaughter of the godly committed , but by whom ? not by the better sort of citizens , or sober and morally vertuous men , but one turry , and a number of other infamous lewd persons like himself , joyned themselves together , for the effecting of that bloudy execution : the like villany was accomplished at the great city of roane in normandy by one maronie , a most infamous ruffian , and a great many other base varlets , who assembled themselves to him as their ring-leader ; but in none of them were these two hellish sins of advoutrie and bloud more adaequately coupled together , then in one ruygaillard the masterbutcher at angiers , who having long continued an adulterer , was at last enticed by his harlot , to murther his own wife . thus we see that it is not the sober and vertuous , but the lustfull and vicious papist , that inveterately and irreconciliably hates the godly and sober protestant ; not but that common experience teacheth us how the loose and debauched persons of either religion , do as well agree together in their plots and excesses , as if there were no difference of opinion between them ; but that there should be such prodigious malice in the looser and erroneous protestant against the more strict and orthodox , as to wish their extirpation , rather then the conversion of the romanists , nay , to joyn their armes with those of the vassals of antichrist , for the eradication and subversion of them , is such a mystery of the lower region , as the horrible and vast desolation of gods true church in our dayes , gives us as much cause to lament it , as the ages to come will have abundant occasion to admire it . amongst the turks , jewes , indians , persians , and the papists themselves at this day , the most zealous and holiest as they conceive them in their religion , are most esteemed and honoured , and onely in the greater part of the protestant churches , the most knowing and tenacious of the evangelicall truth , and the most strict and godly in their lives are hated , nicknamed , disgraced , and vilified ; and grace which should onely adde a lustre to learning , riches , honours , noble extraction , and all other outward gifts , either naturall or acquisite , that alone obscureth all the rest , and brings the contempt , not onely of great ones , but even of the scum and dregs of the multitude upon the persons so qualified . doubtlesse , this shewes that the protestant religion , where the gospel is maintained in the power and purity of it , is the very truth it self . and that the prince of darknesse seeing the greatest zealoters amongst the turks , jews , and papists hasten on in a false and fatall course , never opposeth them , no more then he doth the debauched , loose and atheistical protestant , but only stirreth up all he may the hatred , scorn and persecution of all sorts against those pious christians , who are convinced of the truth , and by their innocent lives and godly conversations , maintain and demonstrate , that it undoubtedly is the true religion which they professe . sect. xviii . lvther had scarce planted the gospel in germany , in the yeere 1517 but within the space of some five yeers after , melchior hofman , thoms muncer , bernard rotman , and other anabaptists , planted there also , as may be strongly collected , divers pelagian blasphemies of free-will , recidivation from grace , and the rest , to which they joyned community of goods , and the extirpation of all monarchie and magistracie , saying , luther and the pope were two false prophets ; but of the two , luther was the worst , because luther especially laboured to advance gods grace , and to beat down the hereticall tenet of mans free-will . michael servetus the spaniard , and bernardin ochinus , as may probably be gathered , did succeed muncer and rotman , as the chief doctors of that pestilentiall sect ; but as may easily appear , upon diligent search , did cunningly conceal their dangerous doctrine , of not allowing temporall princes and magistrates , because they saw it inevitably drew upon them the necessary opposition of all kings , and well governed states . theodore bibliander , and sebastian castellio the savoyard , grew famous amongst their fellow anabaptists after servetus death : and the same castellio translated into latin the dialogues which the said ochinus had written in the dutch or german tongue , which dialogues are ordinarily at this day imprinted with the rest of castellio's works : and in the last age from the time this sect took its first beginning in holland , till about the yeer 1611. they knew no other name or appellation , but of anabaptists only , which title also , with much alacrity and confidence , they assumed and appropriated to themselves in their own books they published : james arminius , a flashie and shallow divine of leyden , ( as may easily be evinced ) was so taken and overtaken with the perusall of castellio's dialogues , and the secret conferences of some of the anabaptists themselves , as it clean turned his judgement from the truth to falshood ; and therefore to justifie his own apostasie , and to perpetuate the memory of his new masters labours , without once doing honour to his name ; he re-prints his said dialogues , and other works , almost verbatim , altering only the frame of them , and patching them out also with some pieces he had borrowed from the jesuites polemicall volumes against the dominicans , the latter opposing , and the first defending the hereticall tenets of pelagius , the britain , as learned de thou himself freely acknowledgeth . after the death of arminius , in the yeer 1611. the name of anabaptists , by which the maintainers and asserters of those errors had for above fourscore yeers last past , been known and called by ( as in the articles of the church of england , published in the yeer 1552. article 8. and elsewhere ) and sometimes also anabaptists or servetians , from michael servetus , as by the same de thou in his story , lib. 34. p. 239. began to be deserted , as too odious and grosse for this learned age , and by the ignorance of the orthodox divines , who saw not the admirable use of story in their polemical tractates , they have atchieved the senslesse and new name of arminians , when poor arminius himself took up his errors upon trust at the third or fourth hand , stealing that out of castellio , which he had borrowed from ochinus , the scholar of the spaniard servetus : and barnevelt himself in his apologie confesseth , that he had learned those points in germany many yeers before he knew arminius ; nay , as men extracted from base beginnings , and advanced to high honours , do commonly pretend by an adulterate and a false descent to noble ancestors : so these impudent fellows are not ashamed to father their forgeries on judicious luther himself , as if there were no other difference between them and the orthodox protestants , then was between luther and calvin ; whereas it appeared plainly , in the yeer 1560. by the very confession of the papists themselves , that upon a strict inquiry then made , it was found , that the protestants dissented from the romanists in forty points of doctrine . but those of the helvetick and augustane confessions amongst themselves but in two , whereas if these new coiners do but daily increase their dangerous errors for the time to come , as they have done for the time past , since sebastian castellio's death , they will dissent as much from learned luther , as he did from the papists themselves . and how little coherence there was between luther and those anabaptists of his time , whom castellio followed , is apparently expressed in the very preface it self prefixed before his dialogues , and other his latin works , printed in the yeere 1613. where the author of the said preface ( a stout anabaptist ) freely acknowledgeth , that martin luther , john calvin , and martin barrha , did all defend gods absolute and eternall decree , and the power of his grace , following therein st. augustine ; and falsly addeth , that a way is thereby opened to a secure and loose life : which inconvenience , saith the same prefacer , erasmus roterodamus , theodore bibliander , and sebastian castellio , fore-seeing and desiring to prevent , did oppose the said doctrine , and maintained free-will to be in man , or an ability in and from himself , without the assistance of gods grace , to do good . the pseudo-lutherans , or anabaptists in germany , that had even overspread the whole dominions of the elector of saxonie , before the enangelicall jubilee was there celebrated in the yeer 1617. were within two yeers after , the direct instruments of ruining the gospel it self : for they mistake themselves ignorantly , or are wilfully blind in the passages of that time , who impute all the miseries that germany hath now for these eighteen yeers last past groaned under , to frederick the fifth , prince elector palatine , his accepting of the bohemian crown , in the yeere 1619. in respect that the protestants of that kingdome , after the election of ferdinand of gratz , for the king thereof , in 1617. finding that he was wholly swayed by the jesuites themselves , or his jesuited counsellors , and began to infringe the liberty of religion there established , they acquainted the emperor matthias therewith , during whose life , the said ferdinand was not to intermeddle with the affaires of that realme . but the emperor , whether hee feared that his said cousin of gratz should supplant him , as he had formerly done his own brother , rodolphus the second ; or whether out of immoderate love to him , i know not , neglected the bohemians , just petitions and romonstrances ; whereupon , in the yeer following , there being a great assembly of them in the chancerychamber , within the castle of prague , and some sudden alteration happening , they threw out three of the emperors counsellors at the windows , and though none of them were slain or maimed with the fall , yet the bohemians themselves took this outrage to be an offence so unpardonable , as they presently prepared themselves for an offensive and defensive war , elected thirty directors to govern the kingdome , and raised two armies to be in readinesse , the one under the earl of thurne , and the other under ernest , count of mansfield . the emperor also , and his cousin ferdinand , made great preparation for war , nominating the counts of dampetre and buequoi for the generalls , upon which there presently followed divers hot skirmishes , between the forces on both sides , the miserable inhabitants of bohemia proving already a lamentable prey to the licencious souldier . and now let any indifferent and impartiall man judge , what fault or error all this time , did the said prince elector palatine commit ; nay , on the contrary , the jesuite himself confesseth in his austrian laurel , pag. 104. that the said prince elector laboured by all means to have composed this difference in a treatable and amicable way by his letters and internuncio's , till seeing the emperors armies , notwithstanding all his intercession to have entred and wasted bohemia , their aime to be chiefly at the extirpation of religion ; and himself as the prime prince of the new union , to be obliged in honour and conscience to have a care of the euangelicall cause , hee was necessitated to joyn his armes to theirs , not refusing also the crown , being , for ought hee knew , most justly laid at his feet , after a generall and unanimous election : could he fore-see that any euangelicall prince should be so pseudo lutheranized , as to betray the whole body of the protestant religion , and the fundamentall liberties of the empire in germany to the antichristian adversary ? in all humane reason , had the elector of saxonie but looked on , and done nothing , much more had he but assisted the bohemians , professing the same gospel with himself , that fair branch of the third family in christendome had now flourished in those ancient regalities their ancestors enjoyed , and the church and empire had been as glorious and happy as now they are desolate and miserable . but god that decrees all most justly and wisely for his own glory , and the good of his children , will , i doubt not , by some means , though yet hidden , replant again the royall branches of this imperiall vine , as to the admiration of the whole christian world , both enemies and friends , he hath hitherto supported the royall root of those branches with patience and alacrity . sect. xix . as the vicious and atheisticall popish and popishly affected prelates and prophane christians hate and persecute the pious protestants more then they doe adulterers , swearers , perjurers , or any other notorious delinquents ; so the moderate and vertuous papists of both orders , abhorre their slaughters , and desire their peace and freedome . sir john de old-castle , in the time of henry the fifth of england , being convented before thomas arundel , archbishop of canterbury , and divers other lustfull and bloudy prelates ; whilest i was ( saith he ) a swearer , a rioter , and every way else vicious , you never reproved me or questioned me , but since i have imbraced this despised doctrine of wicklesfe , which hath taught me how to conquer my sinnes , and to lead a godly and an honest life , now you are enraged against me with malice , and seek my destruction . the same true observation was made by annas burgus , that brave senator of paris in the yeare 1559. under henry the second of france ; that there were many adulteries , perjuries , oaths , and other infamous offences , daily committed , and already punishable by the lawes , and yet such as were guilty of all or any of those crimes were countenanced and advanced ; but against the protestants all cruelty was practised , who were guilty of no other offence , but of imbracing the truth of the gospel revealed unto them by the spirit and word of god , and of discovering by the same light , the horrible vices and errors of the popish power , that so there might follow an emendation . to this purpose also tended that christian advice which a person of noble extraction david hamilton gave to his cousin james , earle of arran , then regent of scotland , in the yeare 1545. when cardinall beton would have perswaded and drawn him to have joyned with himselfe in the persecution and slaughter of the godly in that kingdome . i cannot but wonder , saith he , that you should give up the innocent servants of god himself , against whom no crime is objected , but the preaching of the gospel , into the hands and power of men most infamous for lust , cruelty , and all other wickednesse , when in the meane time those very enemies of the truth themselves cannot deny , but that the lives of such as professe this doctrine they hate , are full of integrity and vertue . and therefore , although the prophane and bloudy prelates could never be drawn to pitie gods children , much lesse to love them for their piety and innocency , being therein more inhumane then divers of the heathen emperours themselves , who upon information of the vertuous and harmlesse deportments of the christians by their governours of provinces under them , did cause their persecutions to be slackned and ceased . yet have divers princes and other moderate pontificians in the fore-going age , been moved by the upright and honest lives of gods children , to further their libertie of conscience , and to abhorre the cruelties of their fellow-romanists practised upon them . maximilian the emperour , sonne of ferdinand the second , and francis the first , the french king , were hence drawn to permit unto their own subjects freedome of conscience : the earles of egmont and horne , ( though zealous papists ) laboured with the dutchesse of parma , that the low-countrey protestants might be free from fines , imprisonments , and all other persecutions in respect of religion . under francis the second , the french king , in the yeare 1560. by the elaborate and learned speeches of charles marillack archbishop of vienna , and john de mon●●●e bishop of valence freely pronounced before the king himselfe , in behalfe of the french protestants , all persecution against them was for a time remitted ; the said bishop amongst other particulars , not fearing to affirm plainly , that a great increase of the sectaries did proceed from the ignorance and evill lives of the bishops , who having cast away the cares of their flocks , had for many yeares studied to inhaunce their fines and rents , and to live deliciously and loosly ; so as sometimes there were seene fortie of them at once together mouldering and wasting themselves in paris in luxury and idlenesse : the care of their churches being in the meane time delegated over to young and ignorant fellowes ; and so the bishops themselves becoming blind and uselesse , the parish priest also following the example of their diocesans , were onely carefull to spoile and vex the people for their tythes , and wholly unskilfull and negligent in preaching to them ; and that therefore it was no wonder , though divers of the nobilitie , as well as of the common people , did readily hearken to new opinions and doctrines . the same counsell , that the conscience ought not to be forced , nor any to be persecuted for religion meerly , did michael hospitalius chancellor of france , give unto charles the ninth , the same yeare upon his new succession to the crown after the decease of the said francis his brother ; and paulus foxius to henry the third , in the yeare 1574. very copiously , and most eloquently , couched in two severall orations , inserted at large by monsieur de thou , in his unparallel'd history in their due places , who was himselfe nineteen yeares old when that horrible massacre was committed in paris , in the yeare 1572. on saint bartholomenes day , which fell out that yeare on the lords day , and did in his very soule abhorre the crueltie and savagenesse thereof , when in his passage through the streets to mattins that morning , he encountred with divers villaines , dragging along the dead body of hierome grolote , late the governour of orleance , all weltring with gastly wounds in his own bloud ; at which sight his heart relenting , and mourning inwardly , not daring to shed teares publickly , he hastened home to the house of christopher de thou his father , at that time the chief president of the court of parliament at paris , there freely to deplore and execrate that heathenish butchery ; as did also the said christopher his father . vidus faber pibracius , john merviller , belieureu , all eminent men , with all the judicious and morally vertuous papists in the citie , who christianly hid up , and so preserved many protestants secretly in their houses from a wretchlesse massacring ; nay , arman guntald the old marshall biron ( father of charles duke of biron , that was beheaded in henry the fourths time ) when the deputies of rochel repaired unto him some few weeks after that bloudy execution , to treat of a peaceable accommodation of their affaires with him , he shed many teares in their presence , upon his execrating the authors of that cruelty , and acknowledged it the great blessing of god upon him , that he neither knew of it , nor had any hand in it . at the city of lions also , where the inhumanity of the murtherers almost equalled that of paris , mandelot the governour there , did his best to have prevented it , and in his heart , with many other grave and sober citizens of the romish religion , utterly detested it . and when the slaughtered bodies were tumbled into the river rosne , and carried down with the stream to tornou , valence , vienne , and burg , contiguous to the same river , the papists generally detested the cruelty . and at arles , where for want of springs and ponds , they had most use of that river-water ; they so much abhorred that butchery , as they would neither drink thereof , nor yet eat any of the fish taken therein , for divers dayes after ; and generally , in all provence , those of the romish religion drew out the mangled bodies out of the water , and with great humanity interred them . monsieur carragie , a noble gentleman the governour of the great city of robin in normandy , did likewise oppose the massacres there to the utmost of his power , as did also james benedict lagabaston the prime senator of burdeaux , who thereby became himself in danger to have been slain by those seditious varlets , who had been at first stirred up to commit those murthers by the wicked sermons of a lustfull jesuite , named enimund auger . claudus , earle of tende , a descendent of the illustrious house of savoy , governour of provence , monsieur de gordes , governour of daulphinie , monsieur sauteran , governour of auvergne , and francis duke of memorancie , particularly and absolutely refused to suffer any massacres to be committed in such places as were under their severall government ; so as the rochellers in their declaration set out the same yeer , do acknowledge and confesse , that all such rom mists , who had but any humanity left in them , did in their hearts abhor , and with their mouths detest those hellish outrages and cruelties . and it well appeared , what base varlets they generally were in most places , who were the executioners of those villanies , because their religion consisted chiefly in robbing and spoiling the protestants houses , suffering many of them in the mean time beyond their cruell resolutions to escape safely away . nay , whereas the furious people of paris already inraged with a blinde zeale , came to a certain white thorne-tree that blossomed the day of the massacre in st. innocents churchyard , in that city , as if god by a miracle had approved their barbarous and sanguinary action ; the more judicious papists , conceived this to have happened by powring of hot water upon the root of that tree , or by some other secret imposture ; or if it were a true miracle , then the protestants alledged , that it might much more justly be interpreted to the advantage of the protestant church then of their own : that first the place where the tree grew , being dedicated to the memory of innocents , argued the innocency of those who were martyred ; and that as the same tree at that season of the yeere , being in august , though it shewed life , yet could not have blossomed without a miracle : so the protestant church and religion in france , which seemed by this blow to be utterly extinct and ruined , should again revive , blossome forth and flourish , by the miracalous power of god , in as great splendor and beauty , as over it had done formerly ; which the event and issue notwithstanding all the great processions and high masses of pope gregory the thirteenth and his conclave at rome , did accordingly verifie . sect. xx . how shall these sober minded and moderate papists rise up in judgement at the last day against all loose , ignorant and prophane protestants of both orders , who for the smallest offences and for the very tendernesse of conscience it self , vex , molest , cite , sue , imprison , fine , suspend , deprive , and utterly undo their innocent , godly and peaceable fellow christians ? for if it be neither warranted by the practice of the primitive church , nor consonant to reason , policie , or the property of the true church , to kill an heretique by a long and noysome imprisonment , or to adjudge and put him to a violent death . if persecution for conscience sake be accounted , and that justyl , a brand of the antichristian church , and that luther and his followers had even necessary cause in the yeer 1517. in that respect only to depart out of the romish babylon , as from a malignant synagogue ; how is it possible that protestant prelates should persecute any at all with imprisonment and despoiling them of their goods , though convicted of schisme it self , but much more such sober and innocent christians , who by their own confession hold nothing in matter of doctrine contrary to the truth , live inoffensively and vertuously in respect of their conversation , and are ready in all humility to submit to any particulars in matters supposed to be indifferent , which they shall be convinced out of gods word to be so ? it is confessed on all hands , that it is a most dangerous sin to do any thing , yea , a lawfull act , against the dictate and perswasion of conscience ; and shall pious christians in all other respects , for this alone be persecuted , and followed with greater violence , then adulterers , swearers , or fornicators themselves ? the authority and glory of a prince had been as fully extended in removing those particulars which made the breach , as in retaining them , it being acknowledged on all hands , that the removall of them is , and was alwayes as lawfull as the retention of them ; but if the wisdome of any church conceive it self upon great and sound motives rather obliged to retain them , and to adde new burthens rather then to abolish or change the old ; yet doubtlesse withall some course may be considered of , how those who in all main and fundamentall truths are the true servants of god , the humble and obedient children of the church , and of innocent and vertuous lives , might in the mean time enjoy the ordinances of god in peace and quiet : for doubtlesse , if one protestant may lawfully vex , cite , fine , suspend , deprive , excommunicate , and imprison another ( which in some cases necessitates a lingring death ) for things accounted by themselves no way essentiall to gods worship normans salvation : then is all we have said against the romists synagogue of no validity at all ; nay , there being no magis and minus in persecution , it will follow necessarily , that for the same causes one protestant may as well put to death another , as imprison him ; and so samaria shall of necessity justifie her sister sodome . that the supreme magistrate in things lawfull ought to be obeyed for conscience sake , is a certain truth : but yet it is too apparent that such as are more violent for these lesser matters , so to ravage and trample on the weaker and more humble christians , by pressing obedience to the magistrate , are commonly themselves the most outrageously disobedient ; for though they seeme most eager to obey him in these formall and outward commands , yet where the commands of god himself and the magistrates meet together , forbidding adultery , fornication , swearing , blaspheming , unlawfull gaming , starving of souls , maintaining erroneous doctrines , and divers other horrible and atheisticall offences ; here neither god nor prince , law nor gospel , heaven nor hell , can restrain their lustful practices or scandalous lives . did cardinall sadolet himself intercede with francis the first the grandfather , and the arcbishop of vienne , and bishop of valence , with francis the second , the grandchilde , two of the french kings , for the protestants of their times , whom yet they accounted heretiques ; and is it possible any protestant prelate or divine , should stir up any protestant prince or state to ruine their protestant-fellow-ministers , and other christians , because they cannot submit to such particulars , as in themselves can no way hinder or impeach the unity of faith , nor could breake ( if gods glory were only aimed at ) the bond of love ? the apostle paul having left the true church that incomparable catholike rule ; that the stronger christians should beare with the weaker , and that the weaker christians should not condemn the stronger . sect. xxi . there were in all ages , even in the first and purest times , confessions set out by the primitive christians , to be a guide and a rule for all conditions to walk by : and when the nicene creed was penned by the learned fathers of that councell , it was all that was required of any to be publikly confessed , that had been either accused or suspected of heresie . the protestants in all ages , when they were questioned , ( and especially since the yeere 1500. that the differences about religion have even filled europe with the sharp disputes of the sword and pen ) have not only offered to do whatsoever the ancient fathers required as an act sufficient to cleare and acquit such as were in their times suspected of heresie , but further to put their cause to the triall of the scriptures , the best and surest rule ; nay , to admit the decrees of the first generall councels , and the united tenets of the orthodox fathers for the first five hundred yeers . but the romish synogogue degenerating , first in manners , and then in doctrine ; first introducing innumerable trinkets and ceremonies , to pester gods publique worship , and afterwards severall idolatries , absolutely to kill and poison it , could not satisfie themselves with pressing upon the protestants the confession of those truths they yet maintain'd an i held ; but that not a grain of corn might remain in their great heap of chaffe , nor one true professor be hidden amongst the multitude , they invented four manner of unchristian and tyrannicall courses , whereby to insnare and illaqueate not only the most innocent , but even the most prudent and sagacious man alive . first , they proceeded against any person they suspected , without accuser , witnesse , or proofe , and fettered his eares with so many questions to be answered unto upon oath , and with so many severall examinations at severall times , that at last , as john de monluce , bishop of valence , well observed of the spanish inquisition , in the yeer 1562. that it was decipula ad vexandos bonos & illa● queandas conscientias : though hee came into their clutches unjustly suspected , yet he was sure never to escape their griping talons justly acquitted . a second invention was to adde many new matters to be confessed as matters of faith , which were before left as matters of liberty and fact , either to hold or not to hold ; and in this particular did that fatall conventicle of trent so blasphemously transcend the bounds of all sobriety , as to adde twelve new articles of faith to the ancient creed , to be believed upon pain of damnation ; and to this they commonly adjoyned , as a slip or branch of it , adjuration of all former truths , or at least a recantation . miserable experience hath taught the lutherans and pseudo-lutheran , in germany , the tyrannie of the romanists in this particular , who having assisted them to ruine those godly protestants in the empire , of the most sound and orthodox helvetick or french confessions , did , as a reward of their treacherie , finde them more implacable against them , inforcing upon them a most dangerous and blasphemous abjuration , then against the others . these two former wayes of inquisition went yet no further then the tongue , but the next that followed included the hands also , and compelled subscription to many false blasphemies , and dangerous heresies . thus the lutherans of saxonie desiring to root out all the godly ministers amongst them of the purer confessions , would have them subscribe to those two portentuous and monstrous errors , of consubstantiation and ubiquity . and it was a notable machiavilian policy of charles the ninth of france , who having enforced the consciences of the king of navar , and prince of conde , in the yeer 1572. by the cruell murther of divers in their sight , and by threatning death to themselves , to cause them to write to pope gregorie the thirteenth , by their letters under their own hands , that both their conversion to popery , and abjuration of the truth , had been gratefull and voluntary . but the fourth and last invention is a down-right and never failing way , either of discovering the godly , or of shipwracking their consciences , being one of those sins divines call peccata vastantia conscientiam , and that is their enforcing them to adore their severall idolls , by bowing to and towards their hee-saints and shee-saints , altars , reliques , crucisixes , and their great moloch of the masse . this skill they learnt from the heathens themselves , who to avoid multiplicitie of interrogations , with the first holy and primitive christians , who abhorred the placing of images in their publique temples and oratories ; they asked them in a few words , will you sacrifice to the image ? charles the ninth of france never demanded of henry de clermont prince of conde , whether he would turne papist ; but , will you goe , ( said he ) to masse ? he knew raw flesh to be harder for a true protestant to digest , then all the other parts of popery . and doubtless , he that will adore and bow unto or towards an image , the sacrament , an altar , a communion table , or any other creature , where the bowing is not meerly civill , will never stumble at any other part or point of popery , but may safely passe to rome , or rhemes . oh that the papists could but see their own vanity in bowing to and adoring the wafer cake as god! for they confesse it is not transsubstantiated into christs flesh , unlesse the priest that consecrate intend to turne and change it . and what then if the priest be so ignorant , as many be , that he know not the words at which his quu or turne is come by his imagination onely to worke a miracle ? what if his minde be roving about his necessary affaires , or more unnecessarie and vainer thoughts , usuall with them that reade one particular often over , and so inadvertently he forget to joyne his intention to the words of consecration ? doubtless , these cases and divers besides , might be instanced ; in which the priest hath often and doth daily faile to create his saviour ( blasphemy i confesse positively to affirme ) for want of meere advertency and premeditation within the rules of the romish synagogue it selfe . and then what follows , but formall and materiall idolatry , by their owne confessions , when they adore it ? so as should the papists themselves see a protestant prelate or minister bowing to and adoring the elements of bread and wine in the sacrament of the lords supper , before or after consecration , he could not but account him a poishly affected priest belonging to his owne church , or an absolute idolater ; for in the 29th article of religion , published by the church of england , agreeing expresly with the helvetick and french confessions , it is plainly let downe ; that transubstantiation or any change of the substance of bread and wine , is repugnant to the plaine words of the scripture , overthroweth the nature of the sacrament , and hath given occasion to many superstitions ; that the body of christ is given , taken , and eaten in the supper of the lord onely after an heavenly and spirituall manner ; and that the meane whereby the body of christ is received and eaten in the supper is faith ; and that the sacrament was not by christs ordinance reserved , carried about , lifted up , or worshipped ; so the article of the church of england . when therefore any papist shall see his masse celebrated by any english divine , with elevation and adoration , or bowing to and towards it , both gestures being condemned by the doctrine of that church , he must either within , and by the rules of his own church give him up for an adaquate idolater , in giving adoration to the substances of bread and wine , which action the romanists abhorre and condemne , or else in charitie suppose howsoever in outward shew he seem an heretick , yet in truth he is a good catholick ; and did intend in and by the words of consecration to make his saviour ; and so supposing his body to be really there before him , doth adore and bow to it . the lutherans condemne the popish transubstantiation ; the jesuites deride the lutherans consubstantiation and ubiquitie , and both justly . but should they heare of any subtle wittall , that hath in theso dayes found out a third and more sublime invention out of the bush that the man in the moone carries at his back , and can finde christs body in the sacrament as really and naturally as it was in the virgins wombe ; but yet will not say , he is bodily there either con , sub , or trans , they would most justly hisse him out of their churches and schooles . doubtlesse , the popish transubstantiation is of the three the most rationall and profound error , because that being accompanied with a supposed miracle , and may be at any time excused by the inadvertent default of the priest , admits the losse opposition . and i have often wondred why some of that active rabble could not as well and as secretly on the sudden have supposited true flesh instead of the hostia , as they have by an insensible legerdemaine sprinkled pure and lively bloud from a lancinated singer upon the wafer cake it selfe . certainly , there is no truth in scripture more plainly set down then that doctrine of the church of england , and of the more orthodox reformed churches , in which they maintaine and teach , that christs body is ascended into heaven , and there remaineth as visibly and circumscriptively as it did upon earth before it ascended , that it is onely present given and taken in the sacrament , after an heavenly and spirituall manner , and that to worship it , or make it a sacrifice , are blasphemous and dangerous deceits , from all which it will undoubtedly and necessarily follow , that christs body is no more present at the sacrament really and carnally after the words of consecration , then it was present with the bread before it was brought into the church , or with that which is left after the administration of the sacrament ended , and is carried againe out of the church , where also it may as lawfully be adored , as at any time during the holy administration it selfe , each adoration being grosse idolatry . were the ignorantest men and silliest women able in queene maries dayes to assert this truth , even by dispute against those bloudy bishops and idolatrous priests , that would have obtruded christs reall presence in the sacrament , and their blasphemous sacrifice of the masse upon them , and after to die for it ; and shall wee not thinke thousands will be now ready also in all humilitie and patience to lay downe their lives for the same truth ? how dangerous in all ages this idolatrous adoration or bowing to images , altars , the hostia , reliques , and such other trumpery , hath been to the very moderate papists themselves , appeares by a pretty relation in the history of learned de thou ; that francis the second in the yeare 1559. being perswaded by the cardinall of lorraine , and some others of his faction , that there was no way to discover and irretiate the protestants like that of their images , did cause them to be erected and set up with candles burning before them in severall streets and eminent places of paris , to which there assembled divers tankard-bearers , scullions , and other such like of the dregs and scumme of the people , who to the shame of the priests and all church-discipline , prophanely chanted and sang before them : and when any passed by , were he papist or protestant , if he did not presently deliver them money towards the maintenance of those tapers , and adore the idoll , they fell upon him ; and not contented to make him tast of their fists and handy-blowes , or to throw him into the dirt , and trample on him , did after all those grosse abuses carry him to prison , there to be further questioned ; many sober papists having hast of businesse , not seeing the images , or otherwise not regarding the disorderly carroling of such a company of varlets , were by them basely assaulted , beaten , and spoiled , to the great distaste , and open repining of the best and discreetest citizens , though otherwaies truly caec-obedient and zealous romanists . sect. xxii . yet must we not think that heresie or heretiques ought so to be indulged , as thereby to be confirmed , and made more pertinacious in their heresies . they ought to be instructed , reproved , and discountenanced , and if they prove irrecoverably obstinate , exiled . wee see god himself commanded the jewes to put an idolater and a blasphemer to death ; and though i do not conceive that to be an evangelicall precept , but onely a judiciall law , proper and peculiar to that people and church , yet doubtlesse it may thence by the rule of analogie be concluded , that where idolatry and heresie are mixed together , as amongst papists and montanists or altar-adorers , or where blasphemy and heresie meet in one , as amongst the arrians , pelagians , or anabaptists , the followers of sebastian castellio , and james arminius , there a more severe course may be warrantably practised to stop the dispersing of that poyson , then for the suppressing of any other heretiques , who are not guilty of those two abominations , but onely hold some lesser errours . incomparable monsieur de thou , saith in the preface before his history , dedicated to henry the great of france , that exile or banishment was the first and greatest punishment that ever the ancient church inflicted upon heretiques , ( which on all sides is acknowledged to have been a true church ) as wee see in the banishment of the manichees , under those two pious emperors , theodosius & valentinian ; and in the exilement of divers kinds of heretiques under constantine and marcianus : but when men have joyned , either open rebellion and treason , or proditorious positions to their religion , as the papists , or have maintained anarchicall theses as a part of their doctrine , condemning monarchie , magistracie , and all civill government , as the anabaptists : in these cases , although they did absolutely defend dogmaticall and fundamentall errors , yet were their exilement or a greater punishment justly inflicted on them , because the case is now altered from matter of conscience to matter of offence & crime . had the protestants been but once guilty of such an unmatched villanie , as the powder-plot was , in any part of the world where they are tolerated , they had doubtlesse been for ever rooted out from thence ; for though some desperate romanists only were ingaged in the execution , yet in the generall , questionlesse , all the recusants of england knew , that a great action was in hand , against church and state ; and that their romish synagogue was to be erected in great britain , upon the ruines of them both : and for the prosperity of it , as henry garnet himself confessed , they all prayed . nay , when divers english papists , admonished by the guilt of their own conscience , fled upon the discovery thereof into france , and were kindly received there by the governour of callis , and he comforting them , in respect they had left their countrey , estates and friends ; no , saith one of them to him again , wee grieve not at all for those losses , but that so brave and excellent an action ( meaning the powder-treason ) had no better successe . at which answer , the said governour was so extremely incensed ( as hee often after himself related to the same de thou , who delivers the story ) that hee verily thought to have precipitated the varlet headlong into the sea . and as for their romish doctrines , manifestly tending to treason , conspiracy and rebellion , they were so exactly collected together into one bo ly by learned bishop morton , and published in the yeere 1605. a little after the discovery of that treason , as wee shall need a great deal of charity to believe they can be good subjects in and under any protestant prince or state . neither do the anabaptists come much short of the papists in their dangerous tenets or practices , although they exactly imitate their old master pelagius in one particular , which vossius himselfe confesseth of him , teaching many of their desperate doctrines , as he did , privately , which yet they conceale and suppresse in their published tractates , which have given so many fatall wounds to the true church of god in this and the last preceding age ; for the proofe whereof , wee shall need to produce no other witnesses then those two sincere and impartiall historians , john sleidane , and the same monsieur de thou , from whom wee may learne , that after melchior hofman had broached his wicked tenets in germany , about the yeere 1520. and with his disciples , thomas muncer , bernard rotman , and john leyden had assumed to themselves the name of anabaptists , and drawn many of the baser sort after them , whom they perswaded not to suffer any of noble blood to remain ; and that there could be no other lawfull magistrate , but one of their sect : they easily drew them to take armes , and possessing themselves of the city of munster in westphalia , had like to have proved the utter ruine of it , had it not been delivered by the armes of some of the germane princes , after which followed the execution of divers of those rebels . after these men succeeded as chiefe propagators of their errours , john cerdo , hanged at brussels , michael servetus the spaniard burnt at geneva , and cornelius apelman executed at vtrecht in the yeare 1570. all three of them , though guiltie of divers grosse heresies , yet were condemned and put to death for blasphemie , and other notorious crimes . john williams their successor , finding their treasonable and anarchicall positions to afford them no safety in any well governed monarchie or republique , got him to ruremund , in the dutchie of guelders , and there having drawn to his partie some three hundred varlets and mean fellowes , hee told them no goods could rightly appertain to any man but of their own sect , and therefore assured them , whatsoever they could get by pillaging and robbery , was a lawfull gain : by which means many horrible and grievous thefts and spoiles were committed in guelderland , and in the dutchie of cleve adjoyning . the said williams also being taken , was for his many abominable offences and villanies burnt at buslaken in the dutchie of juliers , yet died so courageously , like servetus his fellow anabaptist , as that their sect was exceedingly confirmed and increased thereby ; so as had not their other portentous crimes justly necessitated their capitall punishment , it had been much better for the true church of god , their lives had been spared : for whereas before ignorant men had for the most part presidented their church and kingdom , ( for their chief prophets commonly governed all the rest after their own wills ) these mens sufferings drew on , as may be easily gathered , theodore bibliander and sebastian castellio , to give up their names to the maintenance of the same blasphemies , who cunningly defended only in their publique writing those points which pelagius had formerly broached , whom arminius , vorstius , and the other anabaptists of the nether germany have since followed ; but for those dangerous and unsafe doctrines of condemning magistracy , extirpating nobility , and permitting robberies , howsoever they may still in private teach and adhere to them , and would , perhaps , if they could once make the stronger partie in any state , soon enough practise them , yet they have most politickly omitted , not onely the maintenance , but the very mention of them also , in the said published works and tractates . thus also the papists themselves , upon occasion , being pressed with any of their seditious tenets , will deny them ; as peter cotton the jesuite did their allowing of the murther of kings after henry the fourth of france was stabbed by that wicked jesuited varlet , ravaillac ; and henry garnet , at his execution protested , that he ever abhorred the gunpowder-plot . the pelagians , in the time of the ancient britaines were the undoubted instruments of the ruine of england , then called britaine , of murthering constantine the father and constans the son , both successive kings there , and of setting the royall crown upon the head of vortigern , duke of cornwall , a pelagianized traytor against his soveraign , who in lieu thereof to gratifie them , soon filled up , as may be probably collected , the bishops seas , to which neither baronies nor sericality were then , nor for five hundred yeares after annexed , with hereticall and lazie droanes , who had well-neere ruined the true church of god in those dayes . all the world may know what warning king james of england , that learned prince , gave to the united states of the netherlands , by his published works upon the death of the anabaptist arminius , and succession of that blasphemous vorstius in his roome and chaire at layden , that if they did not in time look to the suppression of those blasphemous heretiques , they would in the end prove the ruine of their church and state . god of his infinit mercy grant that they may never be able to bring desolation or subversion to them ; nor to any other church , kingdome , or state of christendome , where the gospel and the truth are established , by the increasing of their numbers and powers to an excessive and formidable proportion . sect. xxiii . we have seen the greatest and uttermost punishment that the primitive church thought fit to be inflicted on the heretiques of those times was exilement , in which case they had alwayes a competent time allowed to provide conveniences before they receded , safe conduct for their departure , and a full power given them , either to retain their praediall and fixed estates they left , and to receive by their deputed agents the yeerly revenues of them , or else sell them . and if wee do seriously peruse the histories of later times , we shall finde the cruellest tygres , and most wolvish prelates that ever miscarried the affaires of any kingdome or state since the yeare 1500. never to have grown to that senslesse and belluine height of malice against the godly , as neither to suffer them to enjoy their liberty and quiet of their consciences at home , nor yet peaceably and innocently to leave their deare and native countrey , and to plant themselves in such parts of the world as they may enjoy their inward peace without offence or scandall to any . philip the second of spain , who was one of the most prodigious offenders against god , in his time , having vitiated women of the noblest rank , violated contracts of the deepest nature , murthered his eldest son , and third wife , unjustly detained the kingdome of navarre , broken his oath with arragon , naples , and the netherlands , and the most resolved and premeditated persecutor of christendome , being wholly actuated & precipitated to it by nicholas perenot , cardinall of granvellan , and the bloody inquisitors , yet in the yeer , 1575. he set out a publick declaration touching all the inhabitants of the netherlands , that it should be lawfull for any that would not embrace the rom m religion , to depart from thence whither soever they would , and to sell their estates , or else to . retain them , and to receive the profits of them : and not many yeers after , he gave liberty also to the very mahometan moores in spain , amounting to divers thousands , to depart freely thence , into any province of africa , there to enjoy freedome from the bloody inquisitors , and with his own shipping conveyed many of them safe into france , through which , by the graclous permission of henry the great , they had safe and free passage . charles the ninth also , the french king , did by his agents earnestly sollicite lewes de clermont , prince of conde , and gaspar de colignie , earle of cistillion , admirall of that kingdome , being the chief commanders and directors of the protestants affaires , to depart the kingdome , with the rest of the religion ; and that they might begin a plantation in the island of florida in america , hee not only gave leave to the first expedition , which was undertaken by john ribald , in the yeer 1562. but also , at the same admirals intreaty , did contribute very largely himself to the second navigation , which was entred upon , not long after the first , by renate laudonere , and divers other protestants . but it pleased god , that this fair occasion , not only of enlarging the french empire , but also of planting a blessed church amongst those heathen people , was in the very bloome and infancy prevented and brought to nothing by the precipitation of luidonere himself , and by those factious romanists about the king , who occasioned new civill wars and tumults in the realme . after the horrible and inhumane massacre of paris , in the yeer 1572. which was partly resolved upon , because the protestants would not upon any terms remove out of france , and so desert and leave their deare and native countrey : charles duke of loraine intending to take that occasion , to extirpate the true religion out of his own dominions , which he might have done by their slaughters , yet gave them liberty to depart whithersoever they would in safety , and full time to sell and dispose of their goods and estates . nay queen mary of england , whose bloody persecutions shall make her raign infamous to the worlds end , yet in her first yeer expressed so much mercy , as having publikely declared , that she meant to restore the romish religion ; shee further permitted to all her subjects that would not professe the same , free liberty to depart out of her kingdome ; by which the lives and ravagings of many hundreds were saved , and amongst them divers of the clergie ; for the first sensible persecution began then in st. johns colledge in cambridge , where the idolatrous bowing to the masse and altar , being wickedly practised and pressed , divers immediatly left the same colledge thereupon . now if the popish prelates of those times , who accounted the protestants arch-heretiques , and mortally hated them , did yet perswade the kings and princes they served , and too often misadvised , to permit the protestants freedome of departure , with liberty and time to sell their goods and estates ; is it possible that there should live in and under any protestant church , such inveterately hating prelates , against the weaker and humbler christians , who dissent from them , as themselves pretend , only in matters of form and order , arbitrary to be abolished or retained by the supreme magistrate , as neither to suffer them to live quietly at home without vexation , suites , fines , suspension , deprivation , and imprisonment , which in many cases occasioneth their immature deaths , nor yet suffer them to depart quietly , to plant a church amongst the very heathens themselves , to the honour of god , and the inlargement of their soveraignes empire and profit ? is it possible that so many miles distance should not abate and asswage the very malice of rome it self against them ? were their departure like that of the fugitive romanists a few yeers since , to joyn with the publike enemies of the kingdome , to invade it , and to be more forward to subdue it to a cruell and barbarous nation , as they were in eighty eight , then the adversaries themselves , then might there be some colourable reason to use all extremity and cruelty against them for their ruine and extirpation ; but when their hearts and soules breath forth nothing but loyaltie and innocencie , the throne and kingdome fare the better for their prayers and humiliations , and the worst they desire , is but the quiet of their own consciences ; how is it possible they should be so prodigiously hated of any , that would but pretend truly to love the gospel , and heartily to vote the flourishing of it ? certainly it is impossible they should be so transported with barbarous rage , as some of the popes have been , who rather desired to see the ruine of those innocent christians , then of the very turks and mahometans , unlesse they will yeeld themselves to be as deeply toxicated with the dregs of that romish cup as the jesuites are , who in the yeere 1578. began to preach and teach publikely , that it was a more acceptable work to god , for christian princes to root out and persecute all sectaries and schismatikes amongst themselves , then for them to joyn their forces against the turks and infidels ; a doctrine , saith monsieur de thou , ( one of their own historians ) contrary to all christian pietie and mansuetude , who with the rest of the sober and moderate romanists , by their charitable and advised censures , given of the strictest and most tender conscienced christians , ( notwithstanding they most abhor any the least intermixtures and additions in gods worship , which have been introduced by the papists ) shall at the last day rise up in judgement against the invectives of many seeming protestants , of both orders , against the same persons , endeavouring thereby to prepossesse the eares and fascinate the judgements of the greatest princes , that so they may obtain license and power under them , utterly to ruine and destroy their humble and pious fellow-christians , who are notwithstanding permitted quietly and safely to enjoy the publike liberty of their conscience in those kingdomes and states where the romish religion it self flourisheth . sect. xxiv . under henry the fourth , the late great and victorious french king , the major part of the papists of that kingdome continued in a most obstinate and furious war against him , during the first four yeers of his raigne , calling into their succours the spaniards the sworn enemies of that crown and state , and yet he offered them , not only to permit all his romanized subjects the publike exercise of their religion , but also to continue it in all places in the same forme and freedome as it had been used at the time of the murther of henry the third his predecessor , by a jesuited assassinate . and further implored his own subjects , not to endeavour to force him to the change of his religion , which he knew to be the truth , being a cruelty hee desired not to practise upon the meanest of them . the protestants will yeeld up their religion as false and wicked , if ever such an example can be produced against them , where they had libertie of conscience sincerely afforded them , and yet took up armes against their lawfull soveraign . but those unreasonable french papists , being true limbs of the romish synagogue , whose faith was then faction , and whose religion was then rebellion , would embrace no conditions of peace , no offers of pacification from their own undoubtedly lawfull and warlike king , as long as he continued in the open profession of that truth , in which he had been educated under joan d'albret , hereditary queen of navarre , his royall and godly mother ; who also upon her death-bed had expresly charged him never to recede from it . this brave prince seeing nothing but an utter ruine threatened to his kingdome of france , either by cantonizing it into provinces , or setting a forainer on the throne , ( which charles lorainer duke of maine had out of some ambitious and self-respects of his own , a while opposed and prevented ) in the yeer 1593. submitted himself to a publike recidivation , which though it brought on an outward peace to that realme , yet was the king himself never freed from continuall treasons and conspiracies , hatched against him in the dens and nests of the jesuites , till at the last he perished under one of them to the irreparable losse , not only of france , but likewise of all christendome . neither did the papists cease to vilifie his very act of reconciling himself to their church , saying , as monsieur de thou himself confesseth , that either his conversion was fained , as it had been before in the yeer 1572. and that a false catholike would do more hurt in their church then a true heretique , or else that he loved the crown of france better then he did the kingdome of heaven , that to gain that without any inward convincement , would turn from one religion to another . sect. xxv . after this martiall prince had deserted the protestant religion to the great astonishment and excessive griefe of all the professors of the gospel , both at home and abroad ; what did his french subjects of the helvetick confession instantly rebell against him , and deny him due and lawfull obedience , as his popish subjects had done before ? nothing lesse ; but all the disobedience they shewed to him , or expressed towards him , consisted in humble supplications and remonstrances , that they might still enjoy the publique libertie of their consciences ; and he as graciously yeelded to their just and christian petitions ; and all the time he raigned , never forgat their cause or prayers , or suffered any of his bloudy prelates , or jesuited counsellors , to molest , vex , cite , fine , suspend , deprive , or imprison any of them , and much lesse to butcher them , or draw bloud from them ; because he knew every one of those acts are essentially true and down-right persecution , as well as shedding their blouds ; onely there is a graduall difference in the martyrdomes of the sufferers as well as in the cruelty of the destroyers . as strange was the example of henry the eight of england , who led by the advice of some of his sycophanticall popish prelates , thought to have established the romish religion , without admitting the influence of the papacy , whose unerring spirit is to that synagogue like the soule to the body , or the sunne to the firmament . but he soone saw his error , and would doubtless , had he lived , have made that integrall and saving reformation , which his royall sonne so piously finished ; for he himselfe and his new popery , were more abhorred by the bishop of rome , and his vassalls , as a monstrous and inconsistent church , then the princes of germanie themselves , who had made a rationall and intire defection from that man of sonne . for the pope and his conclave employed cardinall poole ( henry the eighths neare kinsman ) as their ambassadour to charles the fifth the emperour , to exhort and perswade him instantly to invade the king of englands dominion , rather then to make warre against the turke himselfe . and the reason why the pope was so vehement in his prosecution against that king , doth palpably and fully appeare from the very words ensuing of the decree of pope boniface the eighth , in his extravagants set forth by himselfe in the eighth yeare of his papacy , about the yeare 1300. subesse romano pontifici ( saith he ) omni humanae creaturae declaramus , dicimus , definimus , & pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salut is : we declare , define , and pronounce , that it is necessary for every one that is to be saved , to be subject to the pope of rome . the same doctrine doth the bull of pope pius the fifth , bearing date there in the yeare 1564. & the romish catechisme set out a little after , doth maintain and confirme in the tenth , eleventh , and twelfth sections thereof , in their exposition of the twentieth article of their new creed , ( to which creed their prelates and other ecclesiasticks are compelled to sweare , that they hold it to be the true catholick faith ) it being strongly disputed for also by suarez in his first booke and twelfth chapter against the lutherans , by gregorie de valentia in his analysis , lib. 6. cap. 1. and by bellarmine in his third booke and fifth chapter of the church militant ; that though any prince , prelate , priest , state , or church , should receive all the other parts of the romish faith & religion , abolishing the doctrine and discipline of the protestants , and should onely deny the popes supremacy and subjection to him , yet they should still remaine damnable and wicked hereticks ; so as the light of the sunne is not more cleare then that the pope in this one particular imitates god himselfe , hating more a linsey-woolsey mungrell halting popish protestant , then a true and zealous one . blessed therefore are those monarchs , princes , and states , who preserve the evangelick truth , without the least intermixtures of false doctrine and pontificall additions ; for to halt between light and darknesse , and to intermix idolatrous actions , or popish errors , with saving truths , will necessarily draw on the ruine of the godly , and the hatred of the papacy , and bring downe gods judgements as causally as an absolute , entire , and plenary defection and recidivation . and then if the popes headship be once admitted , a volume would not suffice , how not onely every proud prelate , but even every popish priest ; might trample on the soveraignes crowne and dignitie , murther their fellow-subjects , and be guilty of a thousand other villanies , without dreading or regarding the punishment of the temporall sword . sect. xxvi . matthew paris , the monke of st albanes , ( a witnesse without exception ) doth truly relate a pithy story , to shew the ancient deplorable and base state and condition of the english kings under the papall tyranny ; that pope innocent the 4th in the year 1253. in the 37th yeare of henry the third , being set in his conclave , in the middle of his cardinalls , after mature deliberation and advisement upon a very small and trifling occasion , brake out into this vehement interrogation ; nonne rex anglorum ( saith he ) noster est vafsallus , & ut plus dicam , mancipium , qui possumus eum nutu nostro incarcerare & ignominiae mancipare ? that is , is not the king of england our vassall , or to say more , is he not our slave , who have power as often as wee please , either to mue him up in prison , or to expose him to ignominy ? justly therefore did henry the eight of england free himselfe from this papall tyranny : and if he had been possibly sensible of those bodily pangs , or inward remorses and horrors upon his death-bed , which the papists mention , yet could not these divine flagellations be imputed to his defection from rome , and error , as they pretend , but to his shedding of so much innocent bloud of gods saints , by the instigation of his sanguinary prelates . for in france after that barbarous and cruell massacre in the yeare 1572. upon the eighth day of november the same yeare , there appeared a dreadfull comet , touching which some learned protestant immediately published an elaborate and exquisite poem , presaging that it was gods herald or messenger to denounce his judgement shortly to ensue upon that kingdome , for their newly perpetrated inhumane butcherie . his verses were 〈◊〉 dispersed , when there suddainly broke out in poitou a new 〈◊〉 and before unknowne disease commonly called the poit●vin cholick , which wasted that goodly kingdome for above thirty yeares after it was accompanied with so many extreame paines and torments , not onely in the outward parts of the body , but in the inwards and vitals also , as it drew on divers horrid convulsions , and in many blindnes it self before they dyed . the strange originall , the hidden nature and those unparalleld torments it produced , sometimes resembling the very stabs and gashes made with swords and poygnards , gave all impartiall judgements just ground to conclude it to be the finger of god himself , in punishing the mercilesse murthers of his dear saints . and a blessed warning it may be to all christian kingdoms and states , that a seasonable remedie to stop the growing of the plague , pestilence , and other severall diseases and judgements may questionlesse be applyed , by inhibiting and abolishing the power and malice of such popish prelates as count it their chiefest solace to waste and persecute the pious and godly protestants , that so the true catholick church might againe flourish , as it did in the primitive times under learned , religious , sober , faithfull , preaching pastors and ministers . which incomparable blessing , the divine providence vouchsafed to the scottish , french , and helvetick churches upon their first reformation . the printer to the reader . i am here courteous reader , instead of troubling thee with an index of the errata , to give thee notice , that so great care hath been used , in this second impression , as it needs none ; neither was it my fault , but my mis-fortune , that the first had so many greater errours as well as lesser slips ; for i had the use of a very imperfect copie , transcribed from the originall by two or three severall hands in some hast ; by which i was mis-led almost in every section . those errours , and such as escaped the presse , are now amended to thy hand . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a67894e-340 * lutherus paulò ante mortem , age● cum phil●ppo melancthone , fatetur , in negotio coenae●n mium esse factum , &c. dr rainoldus prelectione 4a. in lib. apocryphos , p. 53. col. 1. et orat. isaac bootii vesalii de controversiis sacramentariis edit. basilere ao . dm. 1601. ad calcem polani analys. in ho●●seam , p. 405. * john dudley duke of northumberland . the late inhumane ma● sacre and bu●chery in ireland hath since excee●ed it . sectaries vnmasked and confuted. by the treating upon divers points of doctrine in debate betwixt the presbyterialists and sectarists, anabaptists, independents, and papists. / by george palmer wel-wisher to a warrantable uniformity in godly religious exercises. palmer, george, b. 1596 or 7. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a90720 of text r201662 in the english short title catalog (thomason e396_27). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 169 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 31 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a90720 wing p229 thomason e396_27 estc r201662 99862163 99862163 114314 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a90720) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 114314) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 63:e396[27]) sectaries vnmasked and confuted. by the treating upon divers points of doctrine in debate betwixt the presbyterialists and sectarists, anabaptists, independents, and papists. / by george palmer wel-wisher to a warrantable uniformity in godly religious exercises. palmer, george, b. 1596 or 7. [8], 32, 41-68 p. printed by richard cotes, london : 1647. in four parts. part 2 has a separate dated title page which reads: the voice of infants by infants defender; part 3 caption title reads: certain observations, cautions, and instructions for mr. lambe, and other anabaptists, to prevent their perverting of others to errors and schisme; part 4 caption title reads: an appendix for the reader, shewing the cause of our distractions, .. ; pagination and register are continuous. text is continuous despite pagination. annotation on thomason copy: "july 6th". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng lamb, thomas, d. 1686 -early works to 1800. church polity -early works to 1800. christian sects -england -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century. a90720 r201662 (thomason e396_27). civilwar no sectaries vnmasked and confuted.: by the treating upon divers points of doctrine in debate betwixt the presbyterialists and sectarists, ana palmer, george 1647 32350 147 0 0 0 2 0 52 d the rate of 52 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-06 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-07 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2007-07 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion sectaries vnmasked and confvted . by the treating upon divers points of doctrine in debate betwixt the presbyterialists and sectarists , anabaptists , independents , and papists . by george palmer wel-wisher to a warrantable uniformity in godly religious exercises . out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength , because of thine enemies , psal. 8. 2. matth. 21. 15 , 16. if these should hold their peace , the stones would immediately cry out , luke 19. 40. and my speech , &c. was not with enticing words of mans wisdome , but in demonstration of the spirit , and of power , that your faith should not stand in the wisdome of men , but in the power of god , 1 cor. 2. 4 , 5. london , printed by richard cotes , 1647. to the christian reader . beloved , it may seem strange to you , that i am approached to the presse ; and i confesse it is strange to my self . and therefore , both you and i may revive the ancient proverb , viz. is saul among the prophets ? but yet considering the great distractions among the children of god generally , and that in a time after so manifest issues of blood , which have been mortall to many hundred thousands , and yet notwithstanding wee being in want of the two happy staves ; viz. the staffe of beauty , and the staffe of bands : and that they are obtained , first , by a warrantable uniformity in godly exercises of our true religion , which is compared ●o a staffe of bands ; and the second ( which is a consequence of the first ) viz. unity of affection , which is compared to a staffe of beauty , these two being the supporters of a people from confusion and destruction , where-ever they have their being . secondly , considering also , that although a man ought to see to his owne house , and not to adventure to meddle with his neighbours dwellings , untill hee bee called by an outward voice , as well as by an inward provocation , and that notwithstanding upon an extraordinary case of danger , hee may ( if not absolutely prohibited ) put to his helping hand when a whole city is on fire , for it is then expected that their neighbours should come without an outward call , and put to their helping hands . provided that when hee appeareth , hee bee allowed and approved by those in authority there , that he bee able to doe good and not hurt ; and also , considering how many have adventured now in these times of danger , that have been much defective in some things by them put forth : and further seeing some have thrust forth the poyson of aspes to the increasing of our kingdomes sicknesse : and also that many have been permitted to use their pens , who were but private men , and perhaps , they have not all of them brought gold , nor much silver , yet accepted too : these things being by mee thus considered , and being absolutely perswaded that i have some water to quench the fire ; and also some gold , if not silver , and pearles , to helpe repaire what wilde fire hath exhausted ; i therefore have adventured toward the ruinated house of this our israel : and my chiefe care is to bring such materialls as is most wanting to it , for if i come not with fitting matter , i shall doe little good , if not much hurt , as some others have done before mee : yea , i , in so doing , may too easily increase the flame . for sometimes , the lesse straw or combustible matter is best , especially when the fire is too neare the thatch already ; and so many ( that seeme to bee friendly helpers ) are crafty hinderers in this our great necessity : and truly i see many at worke , and labour at it too , but they cannot well conclude about those things that are wanting to this house . therefore i am busied in the viewing of the materialls , which ( as i thinke ) bee those that truly belong to some speciall parts of this frame ; the which are sought for by many , and yet scarce found ; ( especially by divers of the sectaries : ) one saith , this is the piece that ought to be next ; and another saith to him , that that piece doth not belong to any part of the building , but that it belongs to romes synagogue ; and another hee would lay a foundation where there is a good one already ; and a fourth , hee would take away both that good one already laid , and the other that perhaps should lye somewhat neare it too ; and a fifth , hee like a cunning fox , would perswade them that it doth not belong to any of them all to build about that frame , and tells them in plaine termes , that they are not lawfully called to build there in this workmanship ; his policy was no other , but to keep them at strife from building , untill the house were quite consumed by his wilde-fire brought from rome , to which place hee did belong , ( but that hee had cloathed himself in a sheeps skin , and would be thought to bee a true sheep , that hee might the more easier deceive . ) but i am sure there are many honest builders , and they are lawfully called too , and also that they have true materialls , but that notwithstanding this fox , with wolves , and certaine beasts of the bottomlesse pit doe hinder them , by putting all the parts of the materialls of the house in such a mixture of confusion , that many who have least policy , cannot easily finde the true piece that is to bee laid next in the building : and some other of them doe know the right pieces , but will not confesse which they are , because they would hinder the other builders , that so they may take some of the parts of it , and build little caves for their owne private profit and gaine ; my paines herein , is to describe the true parts of this frame , and to lay them in order ready for those that are the true builders , and to unmaske the counterfeit builders , ( or rather , the pullers of it downe ) as also to helpe the weake in judgement , who can scarce know the right piece , or true part of the building , because the smoakie flame hath discoloured it : i doe perswade my selfe , if this could well bee done , wee should soone build peaceably , lovingly , and in a godly uniformity , though some peevishnesse would bee still amongst many , because they have suffered some losse since this flame began . my endeavour is to shew what the church of christ in the largest sense , doth consist of , and who ought to feed them , and who ought to ordaine those pastors ; and where , or how they should dwell , and many particular points that are in difference betwixt the presbyterialists , and those that dissent from them in the government of the church , &c. if you thinke mee too tart in my passages , i pray consider with me , that the government of the church is no light fly ; it is either a great happinesse if it be in a good frame , or a great misery if it be in confusion , we have experience of it too much already . secondly , my sharpnesse is not intended to any , but to those that deserve it , to others it is not meant . thirdly , i beleeve that rationall men , and single-hearted , will not much dissent from me in those things which i have laboured to prove and maintain for truth . fourthly , i am ready to receive a confutation in any thing wherein you can with either scripture or reason confute mee ; provided , that you doe not argue against scripture , where a babe may not onely read , but as easily conclude what is truth . sixthly , perhaps my plainnesse in phrase and method may dislike some that have more learning in the tongues , and other liberall arts to display truth with , i intreat them to note what my end is in this my paines , not to come with excellency of speech , if i had it , i aime at truth of matter , for it is that which we have need of in these times . seventhly , i beleeve that they are the vulgar sort of people that have most need of helpe in these points i treat of ; for the learned i hope , there are not many of them that doe much miscarry in these things , nor will dissent from the substantialls in them . eightly , if i chance to come out a second time , it may hap i may sore higher then some looke for , but i would first appeare to the weakest , for they are those that the wolves doe watch to make a prey of chiefly ; therefore i would endeavour to secure them , and then i passe very little to meet with both fox , wolfe , and all the frogs of rome : and so much i beleeve you will conclude upon , when you see their skins so pulled about their eares , as in this booke they lye , if a course be but timely taken with them , they will rather be gone from us , then stay to be so mangled , as here they be . ninthly , i intreat you to bee advised by mee in this one thing , especially , viz. when any point is treated upon in any booke , wherein the text to prove a doctrine by , is not expressed at large by the author , but the place named by figures onely , there take good heed lest you ( too soone ) make a conclusion of a ( supposed ) truth , before you looke in the text it selfe ; for many writers doe not rehearse the sentence it self , but name the place , and so goe on in argument with it ; and many times the reader makes a conclusion as the author of the booke doe conceive to bee the truth , although it bee many times false ; therefore it were good that all writers would rehearse the sentence of the scripture they quote to prove any thing by , at least in a matter that is of any great weight , as in this book i doe . another thing i intreat of you , which is this , that you will read seriously , and minde onely that you read ( free from distraction or trouble of minde ) as you read ; and read through a point from the beginning to the end , when you read . and when you have a booke , whose matter is sure divinity , and short for memory , and plaine for capacity , keep that by you to view continually . i intreat the reader to accept of this my good will to doe him good , and by his so doing , i shall bee well satisfied ; and bee ready in any way i may or can be able to be your servant george palmer . canterbury , june 11. 1647. sectaries unmasked and confuted . no separation ought to bee in the church of christ , nor divisions , or forsaking the assemblies of our selves together in the publick ordinances of godly and religious exercises ; rom. 16. 17. mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned , and avoid them , &c. 1 cor. 1. 10. now i beseech you brethren , by the name of our lord jesus christ , that yee all speak the same thing , and that there bee no divisions among you ; but that yee bee perfectly joyned together in the same minde , and in the same judgement . and in chap. 3. 3. yee are yet carnall ; for whereas there is among you envie and strife , and divisions , are ye not carnall ? &c. and heb. 10. 24 , 25. let us consider one another , to provoke unto love and to good workes : not forsaking the assembling of our selves together , as the manner of some is , &c. 1 cor. 12. 24 , 25 , 26. god hath tempered the body together , having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked , that there should be no schisme in the body , but that the members should have the same care one of another , that they should suffer one with another . by all these places of scriptures it doth appear that the church should have no divisions , viz. christs body : i say it should not have divisions ; for although at some times it had some divisions , yet the apostles did alwayes endeavour to reclaime them from such divisions , as you may see by these texts of scriptures here now quoted . but it is to bee now considered , what kind of divisions those were ( at least chiefly ) that the apostle doth disclaim , which was amongst those members hee then did dehort these corinthians from : and how farre he then ( for the present ) did ( condescending to their weaknesse ) permit them liberty of conscience ; for , as i said , hee did endeavour to settle them in one way of religious exercises void of division , though ( for the present ) hee permitted them some liberty of conscience in some things that were of least concernment , and not destructive to the whole body , or indanger it to an absolute confusion ; and to this end , i will first look over the texts already quoted , and produce what i am able from them ; and after that produce reasons to shew the inconveniences that comes by the divisions that are amongst christians in their religious exercises . briefly , and also the happines that we may attain unto by a godly unity in affection ; and next after i will by arguments endeavour to shew , that this unity in affection is much forwarded by a uniformity in religious exercises , where it may be attained in a warrantable way ; and next , whether we may not now in these our dayes attain unto these things , without offending ( at least much ) any ( good ) conscience though weak . and then i will hang forth some signes or characters by which wee may collect which party is in most fault in their conversations between those that stand for the presbyterialists government , ( or at least nearest it ) and those that dissent from it , and proceed to the independent ways , which they call congregationall , that so we may by that meanes see our hearts more clearly : for doubtlesse many of us that are assured that we have some goodnes in truth in us , are not so forward and apt to espy our sinister ends , or by-respects ; and that it is a great tryall to a man ( who having once interessed himself to maintaine an opinion ) to undergoe a disgrace by renouncing it afterwards , though he be convinced in his judgement ; and i will briefly note some things that may move us to give god the glory , and our selves take some shame , seeing wee all deserve it . and lastly , indeavour to perswade those that stand for the presbyteriall government to imbrace those ( that renounce the other wayes , or any sins whatsoever ) without casting their sins in their teeth ; for , in many things wee sin all . the first text quoted , is , rom. 16. 17. now i beseech you brethren , marke them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned , and avoid them ; for they that are such , serve not our lord jesus christ , but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple . the scope of these texts , is , to prevent divisions in the church of these romans which in some was already begun , and that division was in their not assembling themselves according to the apostles institution , and that in some pretence , that all that paul had taught , was not an absolute truth , for they divided contrary to the doctrine , which they had received ( saith the text ) ( for in some case a man may divide , but he must have some warrantable cause ) but the end of this their division was not to serve christ jesus , but their own bellies ; ( for so saith the text ) and this must be done in or by some faire colourable demeanor , viz. good words , and fair speeches ( saith the text ) but all this was but to deceive , ( saith the apostle ) and because they could not delude the wise , therefore they would tamper with the ignorant , ( for so saith the text ) they deceive the hearts of the simple ; from hence i note also , that these were false teachers , that did make this division for their own private gain ; viz. to suck from the poore silly people , in way of pretence to teach them the truth ( for they did it to serve their belly . ) you shal see more of them in some of the next scriptures following . the next scripture quoted , was 1 cor 1. 10. now i beseech you brethren , by the name of our lord jesus christ , that yee all speake the same thing , and that there be no divisions among you , but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind , and in the same judgment . in this scripture the apostle perswades these corinthians , from division amongst the common hearers there , ( chiefly at least ) and shewes some cause of it in them , and that was for want of a mind and judgement well informed , and therefore they did much contend with each other , as in the 11 verse you may see . and therefore they were partiall in respecting and affecting of their teachers without just cause ; ( for those preachers were so knowing , that they did not differ in their judgements in those things they taught ) but this was their carnality in affecting the preacher more for his wisdome in words and phrases , &c. rather then for the truth of matter , ( as is very likely and cleare in the 17 verse ) for there hee saith he did not preach the gospel with wisdome of words , ( that is , chiefly ) lest the crosse of christ should be made of none effect . but by what hath been observed here chiefly for our purpose , is , that there ought to have been no divisions amongst them , seeing there was no cause ; and in chap. 3. ver. 3. he did also forbid divisions , and tells them the reason of it , viz. they were carnall , and lookt upon their teachers more then to gods word and working by the ministery of their preachers , as is to be seen in the fifth verse : and truly i must note one thing more from the words of the third verse , and that is this ; the reason why men have not their judgement better informed , is , because they doe not renounce their carnall corruptions , for the more a man desi●eth to renounce his corruptions , the better understanding he shall have in the word of god ; yee are carnall , said hee . but i passe to the two other scriptures named , for they are those which i doe most intend for my ( chiefe ) purpose . the first of them is heb. 10. 24 , 25. these are the words of the text , not forsaking the assembling of our selves together , as the manner of some is , &c. in this verse the apostle pre-admonisheth them to beware that they bee not drawne away from their publick assemblies in their godly exercises by the examples or enticing of some that had already forsaken them . by the apostles expression in this verse it seems those that did forsake , did not shew forth any notorious evill ayme or end , ( for the present ) wherefore they did forsake the assembling of themselves together with those that the apostle here forewarneth , therefore those might have some close colourable pretence , which as yet did not breake out , but some evill ayme they had , for the apostle noteth them and forewarneth the rest , selah . surely , it was an evill in them , ( for the apostles constitution was good in the government he had established amongst them ) it seemes here also that amongst the church of god divisions are naught , for the apostle endeavours the contrary , what ever the intent be of those that forsake and divide without some apparent and weighty cause . the next place is 1 cor. 12. 24 , 25 , 26. i will name but part of the first verse , and then all the rest ; these are the words , god hath tempered the body together , having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked , that there should bee no schisme in the body ; but that the members should have the same care one of another ; and whether one member suffer , all the members suffer with it ; or one member be honoured , all the members rejoyce with it ; the apostle in these verses excellently alludeth to the body of a man , to shew the constitution or frame of christs mysticall body , viz. his church on earth , that , as the body of man consists of divers members , so doth the church of christ , and have their severall offices of care and good performances one unto the other , and if any member suffer , the residue are sensible of its wants of prosperity ; and if it bee well and healthfull , the residue of the members of the body rejoyce with it , because the honouring of one member is the honouring of the whole , ( as a gold-ring on the finger , is esteemed an ornament to the whole body ) &c. thus it is with the mysticall body of christ , ( saith the apostle in ver. 27 , 28. ) they are to take care one of another , as the corporall body of man , the which it cannot doe if it bee divided member from member ; therefore ( saith the apostle in ver. 24. ) god hath tempered the body together , &c. and in ver. 25. he tells us , that the end of gods joyning the members together thus , is , that there should be no schism in the body , but that the members should have the same care one of another ; thus it is with the mysticall body of christ , if the members be divided , then is the body ( spirituall ) weakned , and in great imperfection and danger , especially if many members be either lame , or quite divided from it . thus you see by all these texts of holy scriptures , that schismes , divisions , and forsakings the assemblies ( of gods people ) in the onely way of religious exercises is utterly forbid , and the reasons ( in some particulars ) also rendred by the apostle in the words of this 12 chap. of 1 cor. 24 , 25 , & 26 verses : now next i am to perform three things which i have promised you , before i come to the goliah and his younger brethren , and of these three things i will be briefe , ( for i long untill i come to the main ones . ) the first is , to shew by reasons , that divisions in godly exercises of our religion , do occasion great inconveniences to the church or children of god ; first , it estrangeth and weakeneth their affections one towards the other : this we have experience of enough already on both sides , amongst us in these dayes : i shall not need to use many words to cause you to conclude with me this truth , for by our divisions in some points of doctrine , and much more in the government of the church , and the severall ways that severall persons and congregations steer ; the church is divided or weakned in their affections . secondly , by these divisions there is produced an evill opinion one of another , whereupon one is jealous of the other , lest the one do circumvent the other in his way , which hee hath resolved to walke and rest in , ( for all men in every way in religion , accounts his one way best , and therefore thinks him not so good as himselfe that differs from his wayes ) whereupon ( upon smal occasions ) they wil be ready to flout and scoffe at each other , and to fall at length to blows perhaps too . thirdly , when our affections are so weake towards each other , then civill wars are apt to bee amongst us , for every one will bee jealous lest the other would rob him of , or divert him from that which hee accounts so precious in his own way of religion . fourthly , when wee be so much divided , then wee are liable to be a prey to a common enemy . fifthly , by divisions ( in these kinds ) we are liable to have teachers of divers errors , to a farther confusion in religion ; for the severall preachers of the word of god , that are preachers to so many severall sorts of sects , will bee as strange to each other themselves , so that they will not meet to conferre together about religion ( or at least but few together ) because there are but few of many sects , that are of good ability in knowledge ( as preachers ) and so they will bee the more unable to know and preach the truth to the people . sixthly , there will bee little power in any to punish or restrain those that are to be restrained or punished , because the state will bee so divided both in opinions and severall companies : in sum , we shall be an absolute babel . the next in order ( which i promised you ) is the benefit or happinesse which we may attaine unto by a godly unity in affection ; i hope much need not to bee said of this , for all people have experience of it ( unlesse fooles and little infants , &c. ) but yet something of it i will note in particular . first , i will ( in summe ) conclude in this truth , that the deprivation of inconveniences is an injoying of happinesse ; for if that which is evill bee taken away , there remaineth that which is good , and so saith solomon in these words , take away the drosse from the silver , and there remaineth a vessell for the refiner . wee shall then bee joyned in our affections to love each other , the which will have joyned to it a good opinion of each other , and this is in holy scripture called the staffe of beauty ; neither shall we be so jealous of each other with an evill suspition , nor fall to blowes , nor jars , nor civill wars . for then we shall be joyned together in one , and be a staffe of bands ; and being so , wee shall the lesse feare a common enemy ; then shall our preachers meet , advise , and conferre together , for to be the better able to teach us the truth , yea , they and we shall bee so amiable to each other , as that they will bee incouraged to watch over us with joy , and not with grief , the which will be ( not unprofitable , but ) profitable unto us ; then we may retain a power to restrain errors , heresies , and stubbornnesse in evill ; ( in sum ) i say , we shall not be a babel of confusion , but as a flock of doves or sheep , by this blessed unity in godlinesse , here in this world , and attain everlasting blisse after this life ended , in heaven with god and his holy angels . one point more i have to wade in , before i come to the hydra and his young ones ; and that is this , viz. that a godly unity in affection is much forwarded by a lawfull uniformity in divine ordinances . i hope i shall not need to trouble my self nor the readers hereof with many arguments to make this good , seeing we now are taught it by wofull experience , ( by the want of it ) but yet i will begin with an authentick scripture , and that is in matter of religion , for that is it which most occasions either unity , ( if we well comply together ) or divisions , if we dissent from others in it , ( for we esteem that best , which wee think will most advantage us ) for men do not usually strive much for chaffe or drosse , but for wheat , gold , silver , or pearles , or such like things . this scripture is heb. 10. 24 , 25. these are the words , let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works , not forsaking the assembling of our selves together , as the manner of some is ; but exhorting one another , &c. let us , said hee , ( we who are not disunited in our way of our godly exercises of religion ) provoke one another to love and good works ; as if hee should say , wee who are not divided from each other in our ways of godly exercises , are not divided in our assemblies , whereby we may be helpfull one to each other , in provoking each other to love , ( that is , unity in affection ) and good works . and that this is the true genuall sense of the verse , it will appeare in the next verse , where he dehorteth them from forsaking the assembling of themselves together , as the manner of some then was . in which words you may see that some ( having forsaken the uniformity in those godly exercises , which these that are here exhorted did perform ) had forsaken their assemblies also , and therefore had lost this good opportunity which these in ver. 24. had ( that is to say ) to provoke unto love and to good works ; you may know by experience , that what one man disliketh in another , doth cause so much the less love or liking in him towards that man in whom he imagineth something worthy of his dislike ; for the true proverb is , like loveth its like , and the more they faile in their likenesse , the lesse they love : and this holdeth in every thing that is esteemed good , and the more good the matter or thing is accounted by one party , and disliked by the other , the more will their affections of love bee abated , especially in mankinde , and much more in divine things and heavenly ordinances . now i come to the chiefe master-piece , or goliah with his armour-bearer : and that is , whether wee in these our times may not attaine to this uniformity in a warrantable way , without much offending any good conscience , ( though weake ) that so we may attaine to this unity of affection in godlinesse , and thereby attaine to the happinesse i spake of , both in this life and the world to come sempiternally . and i will name some points of doctrine which those that stand for the presbyteriall government ( or nearest it ) doe hold and maintaine , the which those that doe dissent from us doe oppose , some of them in one point , and some of them in another point , &c. the which points are not ( amongst most of us ) held to bee fundamentalls of our religion , as in truth they are not ; that is to say , both parties ( if honest and true hearted in the fundamentalls ) may bee saved without them : ( if they could hold and continue so to the end of their dayes , and their seed also successively ) but those things we differ in are such as are to maintain and preserve us in those fundamentalls chiefly , and without which we cannot long stand upon them , but shall fall off : and these points doe chiefly concern the government of the church , and divers particulars in the demeanors or manners in the same ; as also , who ought to bee accounted worthy to bee esteemed a member of the church , and accordingly received to be of the company and partakers of the ordinances belonging to the church . therefore i will name so many points , as i have heard differenced between those that are for the presbyteriall government ( or nearest it ) and their opposites , ( and perhaps i will insert a few more points too ) and produce what scriptures i can remember to cleare the truth of the points , and bring divers reasons for some points too , by which meanes many may not pretend liberty of conscience without just cause , and bring ruine to the whole body spirituall : to name these points in order ( strictly ) i will not promise content to every one : and first for the church , viz. who are it : to this i answer , in strict knowledge of it , none but god can tell ; but so farre as the scriptures give us light to see , so farre we are to conclude in a charitable esteem , and that is thus , those that professe to be saved by faith in christ jesus ( according to the fundamentalls contained in the word of god ) and are partakers of his ordinances , and frame their lives according to his commandements . now herein we differ much about this latter part , the independents and we presbyterialls . the presbyterialls say , that there be divers degrees of sanctification , which in some is more , and in some is lesse , yea , so little in some , as that they doe but eschew the habituall acting of capitall sins in their outward demeanors to mans view , ( so to speak comparing one sin to another ) as those the apostle hath laid down as a rule for us to be guided by in this particular point now in hand , viz. to judge and account of a fit member ( in some degree ) of a church , as we may see in ephes. 5. 5. no whoremonger , nor unclean person , nor covetous man , which is an idolater , hath any inheritance in the kingdome of christ , and of god . 1 cor. 6. 9 , 10. neither fornicators , nor idolaters , nor adulterers , nor effeminate , nor abusers of themselves with mankinde , nor theeves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor revilers , nor extortioners , nor such like , shall inherit the kingdome of god . but the independents , or ( as they will rather be called ) the congregationall party , they hold , that except there be a more greater and more larger or stricter walking in the wayes of god , there can be no conclusion made that those persons have any saving grace in them at that time , and therefore not to bee received as members of a church , but that if they will be esteemed members of the true church , they must have such godly exercises in their families in a more demonstrative degree and manner , then doe appeare to bee in them that are for the presbyteriall government , ( for the more part ) and more zealous and frequent in the exercises of divine ordinances , or else they are not to be received as members of christs mysticall body . now to decide this question , i will bring divers scriptures to prove , that there were divers sins , and divers sorts of sins both of omission and commission amongst the true beleevers , not onely in the time of the old testament , as the sins of david a man after gods own heart , ( as the scripture termeth him , and divers others also of good report : ) but in the primitive churches , in the apostles time . and first i will begin in 1 cor. 3. 1. to 5. these are said to be carnall and addicted to strifes &c. and yet they are called babes in christ ; heb. 5. 12 , 13. these are such as are said to have need to be taught again the first principles of the oracles of god , &c. they were not capable of strong meat , but had still need of milk , ( viz. babes diet ) for they were still babes , these were relapsed in part , yet christian babes ; col. 3. the former verses , these had their affections too much set upon the things of this life ; 2 pet. 1. 5 , 6. these must then adde to their faith , vertue , and to vertue , knowledge , &c. 1 thess. 4. 1. to the end of ver. 6. and also ver. 10 , 11. these are wanting in knowledge and holinesse , and were addicted to carnall lusts , to uncleannesse , and to fraud and deceit , ( as too many professors are now adayes . ) 2 cor. 7. 1. these were exhorted to cleanse themselves both of flesh and spirit too ; 1 thes. 3. 12 , 13. these were to increase in love one toward another , and toward all men , that god might establish their hearts unblamable in holinesse ; chap. 5. 23. here the apostle prayeth for these , that god would sanctifie them wholly , &c. heb. 13. 5. these were dehorted from covetousnesse ; col. 1. 9. the apostle prayeth for these , that they might bee filled with the knowledge of gods will , in all wisdome and spirituall understanding , and that they might be fruitfull in every good worke ; joh. 17. 17. in this place christ prayed for his apostles , that they might be ( yet more ) sanctified ; and the corinthians were too much hankerers after fornication and adultery , as you may see in 1 cor. 6. 23. to the end of the chapter , and some of the former verses also ; and in the eight first verses you may see a great fault in them , reproved by the apostle , viz. so great a defect of love and good will each to other , that they went to law one against another , and that before the ( unjust ) unbeleevers , yea , they themselves did use fraud to each other , as in v. 8. appeareth , and yet these to whom this reproof was given , were beleevers , as you may see in ver. 6. by all these scriptures it doth appeare , that many ( in the present state of grace ) have been charged and reproved for many sins and corruptions at that time when they were in the faith , and present state of salvation ( yet the apostle did not make a separation , nor divisions , nor schismes . ) i doe not note these faults and defects of sanctification ( which betoken weaknesse in the faith ) to strengthen any in sin , far be it from me to incourage or comfort any in their persisting in vice ; but i would not have any judge of men too rashly and uncharitably , contrary to the rule of gods word , lest wee condemne some to be in the way of damnation , when they are in the present state of salvation . and from this mistake ariseth a spirit of uncharitable and unwarrantable , and dangerous separation from all the ordinances and meanes of salvation ( or at the least the most part of them ) by this their blind judging without the true rule . how shall such weake christians ( beset with corruptions ) be helped and strengthened against their sinnes and ignorances , if the stronger christians separate from them . we that are strong ( saith the apostle ) ought to bear the infirmity of the weake , viz. instruct them , exhort them , reprove them , and allure them by the word of truth , by the danger of damnation in hell , and salvation in heaven . now consider these things , you that are so forward to censure men so much uncharitably , as to separate your selves from men that are not worse in their conversation then these men aforesaid were ; nay , you separate from some that are not so scandalous as many of these now quoted were , and you do debar these and such like men from receiving the holy sacrament of the lords supper which is due to all christians , and such as you are to account so , ( they being not worse then these aforesaid , in their outward demeanor ) nay , we are to hope better of some that are worse then these before quoted . see for this also in 2 thess. 3. 14. these are the words , if any man obey not our epistle , note that man , and have no company with him , that he may be ashamed ; yet count him not as an enemy , but admonish him as a brother , as in v. 25 , & in the 6. such a person is named to them also ; and in 1 thess. 5. 14. are these words , warne the unruly : by all these places it doth appeare , that these were not to bee separated from the church , for still they were to admonish them as brethren , which they were not to doe , if they were utterly cast out or rejected , onely they were to estrange themselves from them , that is to say , not to have so much familiarity as before , or as with those that were not so disorderly or unruly , but yet admonish him as a brother still , and thus much shall suffice for this point , now thus stretched and tagged . now having found a rule out of gods word , by which we are to esteem and receive a member of the church , viz. the body of christ , ( lest we cast out or reject more lambs of christ then wee shall retaine sheep : ) in the next place it is requisite to know who ought to feed them , or bee their most publike teachers , ( for although the members of christ are all to bee helpfull each to other , that is , as the apostle commandeth , edifie one another ) yet the same apostle did ordaine publike preachers over the flocks , as we may see easily in timothy and titus , and divers other places , and that successively too , as i shall afterward shew in the point for the ordination of the ministers of the gospel : now for this , i will be brief , thus , they ought to be the teachers , that are best able , and true christians , according to the former rule in the former point , that is , those that are most knowing , and obedient to the will of god so known , according to the rule which god hath given us to judge by , and of those two properties neither ought to bee wanting , but if a man have in some good measure the latter , and have not the former , viz. knowledge , he then cannot give strong meat to any ; and if such a one be a teacher , we shall have but babes at the best , yet ( which is worst ) he will for the more part bee medling with the matters too high above his reach , and so lead those whom he teacheth to errours and heresies ( as we have too much experience of at this time . ) but some may demand , how if the preachers have knowledge ( in a competent degree ) and too little honesty , he will doe much hurt that way by his ill-example , for men live more by example then by precept , ( for the more part , ( if they bee very ignorant especially . ) to this i answer thus , briefly , were it not for the love of god to us , we should have neither knowledge nor honesty , neither the preachers nor hearers ; therefore we are to look to god in this point , more especially , for if those that are the people to be taught , do frame their lives according to that little measure of knowledge that god doth give them in faith and obedience in christ ; he then wil provide such as shall be both able and honest too , to be their guides and examples also ; however we may not choose a novice , 2 tim. 3. 6. for wee must take it as a curse of our god to us , when we want such as should be able and honest too , the scriptures of god do testifie thus much , & thus i prove it , when the people of israel did perversly sinne against their god , ( after long instruction and meanes of their edification in the will and word of god ) then he did threaten them , and said thus , by men of other tongues , and stammering lips , will i speak to this people , &c. as in esa. 28. 11. and in ezek. 3. 26. it is said thus , i ( said god ) will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth , that thou shalt bee dumbe , and shalt not bee to them a reprover , for they are a rebellious house . these places are clear for this purpose , that god will send unable teachers to a people as a curse to them for their sins against him in time of plentiful knowledge : and for their sins he did at another time tell them that he would let them have as bad prophets in their lives and conversations , to be evil examples for them , see this in mich. 2. 11. these are the words , if a man walking in the spirit of falshood doe lye , saying , i will prophecy of wine and strong drinke , even he shall be the prophet of this people ; and in another place it is said , there shall be like people , like priest . and so much for to prove that , because of the peoples disobedience when they have the word of god taught them truly ; they shall have evill teachers as a curse to them , in the stead of good and fit guides : and now that god will give better teachers of his people , when they walke obediently to him , according to his will revealed in his word , is also as true ; for in a certaine place god promised to send them pastors that should teach them with knowledge and understanding . and when the people under king sauls government were well humbled , and brought down by his oppressing them ; then god heard their cry , and pityed them in their misery , and provided them a blessed guide and feeder of them with knowledge and understanding , viz. the kingly prophet david ; thus you may see , that it is the love of god to us , in giving us able teachers , the which wee shall have when wee live obediently to him with all our hearts , according to his will revealed in his word : and thus much shall serve for this point , viz. who ought to bee the publick teachers , and also some objections answered . and i have concluded , that those that are best able ought to bee the publick preachers of the word of god to the people . but now followeth in good order another point , and this is a speciall one too , and this point the independent party , ( for some congregations at least ) and almost all sectaries are against me in ; onely the presbyterialls are on my side ; and this point is concerning the proving , allowing , and ordaining these preachers for the work of this great ministration : i shall for this , pitch upon scriptures in the first place , and after that confirm the point by reasons , and my reasons will be strong i am sure ; this question is , who ought to ordain the preachers of the gospel . i answer , that chiefly and ordinarily ( at the least ) the preachers of the word of god ought to doe it : and the first scripture is act. 14. 23. and when they had ordained them elders in every church , and prayed with fasting , they commended them to the lord on whom they beleeved : for the places where they did ordaine them , you may see in the end of ver. 21. if you doubt whether these were preaching elders that the apostles did there ordain , i must say , that it is very likely they were : but if not , yet it makes for my point in hand , for if it belonged unto the apostles to ordain inferiour elders , then i am sure you will grant me the other , viz. that they did ordain the preaching elders , i can prove it out of other scriptures plainly , but i know you will not oppose me in this . but here is another objection , and that is this , although the apostles did it , yet we are not to follow that rule still , unlesse we had a command left unto us , so to doe for evermore successively . to this i answer , that what the apostles did then , was for our imitation in that particular , for they did not give or leave any other order or rule to us in the word of god , and therefore wee must say as paul said , whatseever was written , was written for our instruction . but i will proceed to other texts , titus 1. 5. to the end of ver. 9. these are the words , for this cause left i thee in cre●e , that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting , and ordain elders in every city , as i have appointed thee . that these were preaching elders which titus was to ordain ( or at least some of them ) is apparent in vers . 7. for those that in ver. 5. paul had called elders , he in this verse called bishops ; now in that titus was left to ordain those bishops , you may see a succession of the ordination of preachers of the word of god , by the preachers of the word of god ; and 2 tim. 2. 2. you may see what paul commanded timothy ; these are the words , the things that thou hast heard of mee among many witnesses , the same commit thou to faithfull men , who shall be able to teach others also . 1 tim. 5. 22. lay hands suddenly on no man ; neither be partaker of other mens sins , keep thy self pure ; here you may see a second succession of the ordination of the ministers of the word of god , by the ministers of the word of god , for now timothy must commit the doctrine or the word of god to others that he could find able and fit to teach others also : the word commit carries weight with it , and signifieth the leaving in trust ( as it were ) the word of god , to their dispensation to whom it was to be so committed ; here you may see that the common hearers were not to ordain the preachers of the word of god , and the true reason thereof is rendred in 2 tim. 3. 10. in these words , thou hast fully known my doctrine , &c. it seemeth paul knew well , that those that were best able in knowledge , were the fittest to ordain the preachers , and they were most knowing men , that were then the preachers of the word of god ; and farther paul gave him a rule whereby hee might know who were those fit men to bee the preachers of the word of god , as you may see in 1 tim. 3. to the end of ver. 13. whom in ver. 1. he called bishops , yea , he had characters given him , whereby he might know how to choose fit and able deacons also , as in ver. 8 , 9 , 10. are to be seen , and they did use to lay hands on them that they ordained for the ministery of the word of god at that time , as in 1 tim. 4. 14. & in chap. 5. 22. & 2 tim. 1. 6. at which time timothy had a speciall gift given him when paul ( or others with paul ) did ordain him to be a preacher of the gospel , and also in heb. 6. 2. alas , if every one may be permitted to preach that would doe it , we ●hen must needs have a babel , therefore they ought to be proved by the preachers of the gospel before they do preach . and now i demand of those that would have every congregation ordaine their own pastor or preacher , why those that are in the synod ( or ministers like them ) should not be the ordainers of men for to bee the preachers of the word of god , rather then those that are more ignorant by thousands of particulars in the word of god , and so many honest men there too : what , are they not so ? i say they are , and ablest , and honest too ; but put case , some should be thought otherwise , you know that no company of any sort is usually so intirely good , but that some may be defective ; what think you of your selves , may there not bee some worse then others ? nay , may there not be hypocrites and varlets too , if so , then you every way are worse then the learned , and therefore every way more unfit for to ordain men to be preachers of the word of god . now a touch of one thing more , and then i will passe to another point , and this is somewhat differing from the former , but i will joyn them together , and that is this ; the preachers of the word of god were superintendents of other preachers in the apostles time , and this i prove as followeth , 1 tim. 1. 3 , 4. where you may see that timothy was to charge some ( that were already the preachers of the gospel ) that they should teach no other doctrine , then that which they had received , &c. from the which some had already then swarved and turned aside to vaine janglings , as many doe now amongst us in these dayes ; and in 2 tim. 2. 14. you may read the like , these are those words , charge them before the lord , that they strive not about words to no profit , but to the subverting of the hearers ; these men , to whom this charge was to be given by timothy , are those men that are deciphered in ver . 2. of this chapter , that is to say , to those that were already in the ministry of the gospel , this authority the apostle sent to timothy to exercise towards those preachers , and did not send it unto those preachers directly , this power to give the charge was seated in timothy by the authority of the apostle : and truly if it may not bee somewhat like it now at the least , in some degree , we shall be in great danger to bee distorted upon all occasions , though i can well wish that some choise men from among the people may bee joyned with them too , in this superintendency ; for it will give the people great satisfaction from their feares of an unjust compulsion . this one thing more i will note as the great cause of our distractions , yea , the greatest of all , ( next the peoples sins in generall ) and that is the allowing of men , and ordaining them to be ministers of the gospel , before they were fitted for that great employment . alas , i have seen some in the pulpit that have thought a sentence in latin would have given such a box on the eare , that it would make an opposer of truth to have the staggers , and if he brought in a phrase of greek , it must needs beat him to the earth ; but if hee produced some scraps of hebrew , that would beat him into the earth , so deep , as that he could never rise more untill the generall day of resurrection ; although the matter bee poore and un●ound divinity , and his method as bad ; i am not against the knowledge in the tongues , and other liberall arts , but honor the learning of the same ; but if they are not better grounded ( or at least as well ) in divinity , what should then the pulpit doe with them ? poore silly ignorant people come to learn matter wherby they may be saved , and if the teacher be not well grounded in divinity , how can hee defend the ignorant from sophisticall and knavish foxes , and devouring wolves ? the next point which the separatists pretend to be unwarrantable in our ministers for to ordaine preachers of the gospel , is , that they are of the popes order , and receive their owne ordinations from him ; it being first and primarily received of him , and therefore ( he being the maintainer of idolatry ( from whom they had their ordination ) they cannot be the lawfull preachers of the word of god , and therefore ought not to bee the ordainers of the preachers of the gospel . this objection is like a remora who turns his belly upward , ( as is said ) opens his legs , or some such parts of his body , & claspeth about this goodly ship of ours , viz the church , to the hindering of us from arriving pleasingly and safely to our heavenly haven . but i will knock him off thus , first , you cannot prove that ( if in case they have their ordination from the pope ) the pope at first was absolutely an idolater , but that he then held the fundamentalls of the true gospel , though he then was received as the universall head of those that subjected themselves unto him : that this may appear a truth to you , i pray you take a view of a book called the apology of the protestants , written about the time of the massacre in france , dedicated to the king of navarre , in which you may see the canons of the pope and popes at first , and also those that had been made by succeeding popes since untill that time , and there you may observe that those canons that were made by the former popes , are so much different from those that have been made since , as that if he would hold himself to those first canons of those first popes , hee must then renounce his antichristianity and idolatry , and so joyn with us , and walk together to heaven , although it was a sin in him to assume that universall stile and power . but secondly , put case it had been so , yet this makes little for you , for if they see the evill that he persisted in , and yet themselves hold the fundamentall truths of the gospel of christ , ( though perhaps tainted in some particulars ) and so part from him to hold to christ , what is or may be objected against them for their so doing ? shal we condemn them for their forsaking the badnes of the pope , and adhering to the goodnes of the truth of christ ? god forbid ; nay , i will say more in their behalf , they have converted ( instrumentally ) many thousands to the true faith by their ministery , and built them up in it also , which is a sign that they were true ministers of the gospel of christ , and thus much the apostle avoucheth in these words in one of his epistles , 1 cor. 9. 2. if i am not an apostle to others , yet doubtlesse i am unto you , for the seale of our apostleship are yee in the lord , &c. it seems there were some such jesuiticall tricks in some of his adversaries , at that time , who were subtle prevaricators , or dangerous sectaries ; from such cunning foxes , and barking dogs , good lord deliver us ; i condemn not all , there may be honest men , but yet deluders must needs bee there ; and so much for this point , with this conclusion , viz. where we had one was bad before , if this remain , you 'l have a score . now seeing i have found out a church , according to the rule the apostle hath left us to esteeme and judge the church by , ( for secret things belong unto the lord : ) and also who are fittest to feed , or to be the preachers of the word of god to it : and who are to ordaine those that ought to be their preachers ( at least chiefly and ordinarily ) with other points ( as younger sisters to those chief points : ) now it follows in the next place for me , to view out a habitation for them , viz. where it is fittest they should dwell , or in what order , manner , or fit accommodation they should be in . i shall be very briefe in this , especially if i doe not meet with some ravening wolves in the way , who perhaps will think that i am labouring to prevent them of their prey . in brief thus , they ought to live neare together , both shepheard and sheep , for conveniency , that so in the first place they may have more familiar acquaintance one with the other , thereby performing neighbourly duties each to other , knowing thereby so much the better each others wants , and accordingly accommodating themselves the better together in the more frequent exercise of edifying themselves in the truth , by the admonishing of themselves in the principles of religion , ( though not in things too high for their intellectuall faculties , ( for that more chiefly is the publick pastors duty , ) and also in the accommodating themselves in these outward comforts of the things of this life . and it is fit that their preachers of pastors should live amongst them also , that so they may the better view and know the state of their severall flo●ks , that they may give them their meat in due season , as they are able to digest it , ( for some must have milk being babes ) and some ( at some times ) may be able to concoct and digest stronger meat ; and also that he may keep out wolves the better , that would devour the flock ; and theeves that would rob them of their fleeces , and especially in cold weather , viz. when they cannot well spare it ; and that they may the better maintain their own pastors or teachers , that so they may have a maintenance for themselves and their families , and provide some portions for their children , yea , leave their wives some better maintenance after their death , ( if they chance to survive them ) and not leave them in want to their grief and disgrace ; yea , their pastors or teachers should have to give to those that want , viz. to the poore especially , that so he may bee a good example to his flock , and so be well incouraged to take care of his flock with joy , and not with grief ; because that will be unprofitable for themselves , viz. the flock . not like some that would have them live anywhere scattered abroad as sheep without a shepherd among them , somewhat like some in some times , whose pastors would have them come from every quarter ; yea , and to allure them to them from other their faithful watchers and feeders that are abler then themselves , yea , draw as many as they can get from all parts , under pretence that their pastors are not able to teach them truth , nor that they are lawfully called to be preachers of the gospel unto them , and so discourage them in the ministery of the gospel , & deprive them of a maintenance for their livelihood , and their wives and children ; they thus occasioning such people with fair words and insinuations to approach too often ( as is said ) to their boles or basins or such like thing , or some other thing in stead thereof ; which if this be , and be permitted long time together , they will ( as perhaps some of them hope ) ere long have as great sums of mony , as some whom they have condemned for having too much . and further , what ( think you ) will become of the residue of the poor sheep , left in all those parishes , from whom these were thus allured ? they must starve , for their pastors or teachers have not wherewith to live , therefore if they stay there still , many of them may starve , and hunger you know is a sharp sauce , surely they must leave the rest of the flock , and then that remnant of the flock must starve for want of spirituall food ; and this wil occasion them to be more wicked , to the dishonour of god , and their own damnation , and the perverting of the whole kingdome . judge now if this way of the separatists be not a dangerous way , thus dividing without just cause , doubtlesse this is a sin that will be closely laid to their charge that are the workers of it ; therefore if you will doe it still , cause them then to allow to their own pastors that are able and honest ( in some competent degree ) their own maintenance , and this you may easily do , by not suffering them to follow you , or be of your company , unlesse they will doe this their duties to their own pastors or teachers , that so you may not be thought to have silver coloured fingers , and golden coloured hearts . but me thinks i spy a monster now appearing , arising out of the bottomlesse pit , with a foxes head , and a crocodiles heart ; its heart had a dark superscription on it , hard to be read ( but that god gives some some ability in times of great danger to discern it ) but looking wishfully upon it , i discerned it to bee anagrammatticall , and then i knew how to read it , & the word was ( as i had put the letters in their due place ) covetousnesse ; as for his head , i did read presently what that did portend or foreshew , i knew there must be subtlety , i bethought my selfe of this mysterie , and thus interpreted it ( summarily . ) this monsters heart whose name is covetousnesse ( in the mystery ) doth imploy his foxes head to prevent this fair accommodation of the church , which i am now working with my pen , and me thought he presented to me an objection , to prevent my diverting of him of his ungodly ( and kingdom-destroying ) gain ; and that was this as followeth , viz. you cannot prove that there is any promise that a nationall church is to be anywhere , at least not now under the gospel ; upon this me thought i soon understood his head , and the anagram of his heart also , and then i compared them together , and easily and truly knew him to be one of baalzebubs crew ; and from that conclusion i quickly drew another , and that was this , he ( that is ) this monster , under pretence of a more purified church , ( which i wish also ( but with a true heart in the sight of god ) would in pleading against a nationall church , overthrow parochiall churches , otherwise he could never have hopes to obtaine his desire . then i bethought of what i had before concluded concerning the church of christ , what it doth consist of in the largest sense , and that is this , those that make an open profession of faith to bee saved by the merits of jesus christ , and declare it in the partaking of his ordinances , and frame their lives accordingly , viz. do not habitually act capital sins , though it may sometimes fall out ( through more then ordinary temptation ) they be , as it were , overtaken now and then , as david was sometime one way , and others some another way ; these we are to esteeme the church of god , although perhaps they may not have grace in their hearts , nor yet be saved ; but this is the rule that we ought to be guided by , to esteem of a supposed member of christs mysticall body , untill hee declareth the contrary by wicked words , or more sinfull deeds ; for secret things doe belong to god onely , and the strict knowledge of the heart is one of those secrets . thus when i had noted againe this point , i then thought , and was fully satisfied , that christ hath more members amongst us , in most parishes , then this monster did pretend , although by reason he hath much hindered the setling of the government of the church with us in the presbyteriall way ( or at least very neare that way . ) many for want of a good discipline and laws to restrain vice , be lame in their practise of godlines , &c. i then adventured as a lion ( me thought ) to encounter this monster , and i took the way which my saviour did in the wildernesse , viz. it is written psal. 33. 12. blessed is the nation whose god is the lord , &c. this was spoken of the jewes then the people of god : gen. 22. 18. in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed : gen. 18. 18. all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in abraham . i know some will not be satisfied fully with these texts of scripture , and i know their objections , therefore i will produce some other , although i know these are for the same purpose . another scripture saith , that nations shall flow to thee , viz. to christ . but let us see what the lord saith by the mouth of his prophet esay , chap. 55. ver. 5. these are the words , thou shalt call a nation whom thou knowest not , and nations that knew not thee , shall run unto thee , viz. to christ ; he did not mean that whole nations should , or would run to christ singularly generall , viz. not every particular man or woman should bee converted to christ ; but that the nation should in the more generall profession embrace the doctrine of christ ; and many of them in truth of heart , as the jews did at that time , when david the kingly prophet spake those words now quoted out of the 33 psalm aforesaid , though there be many rebellious corahs , and other sinfull murmuring people and wicked transgressors amongst these , as there was amongst those jews , as they were in the way to canaan land ( the type of heaven . ) and now me thinks this monster is stopped in his aime and hopes ; i therefore now will proceed to another point , as i have proved it by reason and scripture , that divisions in the divine exercises of our religion , is naught and dangerous to the state of christians : and also that it is a great happinesse to bee united together in a warrantable uniformity in the divine ordinances of our religion ; now i come to prove more particularly what speciall decrees and ordinances the apostles did ordain and appoint for the churches of god in the primitive time , the better to accommodate them in a warrantable uniformity , and thus i prove it , acts 15. 23. to 31 , & 4● . compared with chap. 16. v. 4. in ver. 23. wee may see the apostles and elders , and brethren sent greeting to the brethren in antioch , in syria , and cilicia , ( these were divers churches ; ) and in ver. 29. you may see what the decrees were that they had decreed for them , or at least what some of the decrees were , the which were for ( all ) those churches . and in chap. 16. paul and silas going through the cities , delivered them the decrees for to keep that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at jerusalem . here wee may see , that all those cities had but one sort of decrees , as is more then likely , for the apostles did ordain for antioch , syria , and cilicia , but one sort of necessary things as in ver. 28 , 29. of chap. 15. doth appeare plainly ; the which paul and the rest delivered to those in antioch , as in ver. 30. appeareth , and afterward they came to syria and cilicia , as in ver. 41. you may see , and those ordinances did much confirme the churches , as you may see in the last words of this 41. ver. aforesaid ; and in ver. 5. of chap. 6. also ; surely uniformity in the truth is a meanes of confirmation and unity of affection ; and in 1 cor. 7. 17. thus ordain i in all churches ; in this place the apostle resolves some questions to the corinthians , and putteth them and other churches into one uniformity , as is cleare by the words of the text , viz. thus ordain i in ( all ) churches , and so in 1 cor. 16. 1 , 2. as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so doe yee ; there was a uniformity in providing for the poor . thus we may see the blessed apostle did endeavour uniformity in all the churches of god , i wish the like practice were amongst us in these dayes , viz. uniformity in godly wayes . but some may demand a question , if the apostle did not sometime in some cases give leave to christians in case of conscience for want of true knowledge in some particulars , to doe , or not doe . it 's true , he did so , but not in those things that were of any danger to the state of the church or churches , for those that were weak in knowledge for the present , that they might not sin against their conscience in eating of herbs , by him that did think he might not eat flesh ; & likewise to celebrate service to god upon some speciall day or dayes rather then in some other days , ( provided that they did not doe it as having respect to the old types or shadows ) that did foreshew the comming of christ , the substance , lest they either be intangled with justification by works , or else in stead of relying on the true christ already come , should ( as the jews do now ) look for a jesus to come , as hee is already come : but this liberty the apostle did not confirm to be as a law alwayes for them to rest on , as not to seek for better assurance of knowledge therein , for hee at that time did shew the very legs of that statue , in these words , viz. he that eateth herbes is weake , and so said he of him that should bee opinionated about the observation of a day ; not that which before was to be observed as a type , gal. 4. 10. but that we may set apart some days more especially then others for divine exercises , for the apostle had done so himself very likely , setting apart the first day of the week , as in 1 cor. 16. 2. and as you may perceive by their usuall meeting upon the lords day , and other dayes so often spoken of in the scriptures . but what is all this to those things that are now in these our dayes so much pleaded for ? alas , those things were but flea-bitings , to them that some would have now adayes ; shall we give way to such things as are so materiall , as will ruinate the state of christians ? god forbid , the government of the church is of a higher nature , the apostles did not give toleration in such great matters ; this is the staffe of bands , the which if it be broke , i am sure the other staffe called beauty , wil soon be all to shivers . if all that plead tendernesse of conscience may have liberty as they desire , every one that is without grace will take up that plea ; do you not think that a very varlet , or peevish , or perverse man , out of a malignant disposition will plead liberty of conscience to act meer knavery ? surely yes . i condemne not all , but if men may bee allowed to plead , and in pleading obtain liberty as they list , you will hold them in no good duty : to speak plain , and short , hee that hath been a professor of christianity any competent time , and yet is pleading for liberty of conscience against those things that common capacity can fathome , is either a vain professor , or else his teacher or guider is to be much suspected ; and i fear such leaders teach not sincerely , to shew what is the truth in those things , but hold men blind for their own advantage , especially if it bee any long time together . but take this for a rule , that if we find a man that is apprehensive in matters of divinity in the generall , among many things , and yet is defective in his confession of some truths that are as easie , and of as low a nature , as those he confesseth to be truth , and sensible too , and thus remaineth a long time together , such a one is ( ungodly ) wilfull in his way , against his own conscience , and ought to be dealt withall by force , for he hath an obstinate or malignant spirit ; and you may know , that after a man have persisted in sinne wilfully against his conscience , god doth then usually blind the eyes of such a one ; yea , sometime the very children of god have some lower degrees of this blinding ( for a time ) but the froward much more . these things considered , wee have cause to dislike like confusion , and love a godly uniformity , imitating the apostles in the same . but i suppose many that plead so much for diversity of government , ( which is confusion ) doe not beleeve that it is the best way for christians so to be ; but that indeed there is some greater matter lyeth couchant in this heap of confusion . and in plaine english , i think it is a blind uncharitablenesse in many , mixt with malignity in their intellectuall faculty and heart together ; i would not have caused my pen to have drawne this curtaine , at this time , but that mee thought i heard one at my elbow , longing to heare something of the cause ( in some measure ) of our kingdoms confusion ; for some things may be accounted and esteemed less worthy of so much striving for to maintain this confusion on the sectaries part , then some wil allow of , although we have no expresse command for it ; if you think otherwise , why then did the apostle st. paul deliver some things in such generall termes , as he did in 1 cor. 14. 41. in these words , let every thing be done decently and in order ? it seemeth paul knew well , that those who had any measure of true knowledge , and true sincerity together , ( far from hypocrisie ) might be able to judge what was fit in some things of a low nature , without any strict precept for every particular wagging ones finger ; 1 cor. 14 43. god is not the author of confusion but of peace , as in ( all ) churches of the saints , and chap. 11. 44. yea , from the 6. to the end of the 15. these are some of the words , judge in your selves , &c. and phil. 4. 8. are these words , viz whatsoever things are comely , &c. and so rom. 14. 17. these are those words , the kingdome of god is not meat and drinke , but righteousnesse , peace , and joy in the holy ghost ; for hee that in these things serveth christ , is acceptable to god , and approved of all ( good ) men . it seemeth that this apostle had no such intent , as to have them hazard their peace , or endanger themselves to a civill war , nor give an occasion to a forain enemy to break in upon us , nor yet to hinder those that are without , to stand off the further from being of our true religion , to their everlasting damnation . neither is it necessary to let men alone in their separations and divisions , for such matters as the government of the church , ( for that 's of a high nature ) lest their leaders ( viz. some of them ) do make the divisions so great ( in time ) that there will be no power to reclaim them : therefore those things that you know not , and therefore have scruple in your conscience concerning them ; you should ( to satisfie your selves therein ) ask of your teachers : but because it hath been so long time your weaknesse , and yet is so still , it doth cause some to think , you are either wilfully obstinate , ( not all so ) or else your pastors ( many of them ) doe forbear in policy from revealing them unto you , lest you should forsake them and joyn with those that are on the presbyteriall way , which ( for the more part ) are the most knowing men : and truly it is a great sign that the sectaries are the weakest in knowledg in divinity , because ( as it is reported ) most of the women-kind bendeth that way . if these things bee not so , then i will tell you what the next apprehension is , ( as many say and absolutely conclude ) and that is this , there are some preachers that lead the silly weake people in this way into by-corners , because they want ability to give them strong meat , or little better then such as is fit for babes , and so occasion the building our babel of confusion with the content they have in their boles and basins , &c. ( as some think and say ) to the undoing of the parishioners lawfull pastors , and occasioning and hindering those ministers that are able for the work of the ministery of the gospel from undertaking the cure of soules , and perhaps to the undoing of those so blindly led by them , and the starving of the soules of those inhabitants that remain behind in those parishes too . i know what objection some subtle head will make to this my latter assertion , but i will prevent him , because i would not have him shew forth openly his weaknesse or subtlety to his shame , or else his wickednesse to his open condemnation ; his answer is this , those people that have a mind to come out and heare the word of god , may , if they will come and follow us , and heare us preach in our owne houses , and sometimes in some other places also , and all of them may pay us as others doe for their comming to us , and hearing of us ; and we will have one free way for it , viz. a common offering . but i answer , by this meanes of their alluring them , to their private houses , &c. they keep themselves from shewing what their inabilities are from them that are more judicious in many points which they teach in private ; yea , and by those points , so in private taught , they hold these silly lambs to them as they list for their owne sinister ends ; making them believe , that those points are of such concernment , that if they desert from them , as they themselves with mouth ( though perhaps not with heart ) do teach , they then are in exceeding great danger , and then the poore lambes in stead of safe refuge , are held in the wolves clawes ; i hope better of some . and thus much shall serve for this point , and i hope all honest men will joyn with me : some doe invent malignity , with breezes in their eares ; the truth his mouth doth so untie , of god he has no feares . now in the next place i will treat upon another point in difference between the presbyterialls and some of the sectaries , and they are called led antinomians : i shall pitch upon scripture to confute these , who hold this cursed tenet ; i told you that the last monster ( as i thought ) did arise out of the bottomlesse pit from baalzebub , but i think this is that old dragon himself ; neverthelesse i beleeve , some honest people might be intangled in this error also , because this hath been a time of difference , in many things among the learned ; the first scripture is , acts 21. 20. compared with ver. 24. in ver. 20. you may see , that the jewes that were beleevers were zealous of the law ; and in ver. 21. you may easily collect , that they still observed the old ceremonial rites and customes from which paul did disswade them in teaching ; but in ver. 24. you may see it clearly , that paul observed the old morall law still , for there you may perceive that some had given a false information of pauls not observing the law , ( as is very likely ) the which is by those jewes mentioned in this verse , and confessed to be an untruth , being now better informed , for these are the words of the text , at the latter end of it , all may know that these things whereof they were informed concerning thee , are nothing , but that then thy self also walkest orderly , and keepest the law . now paul had alwayes preached down the ceremoniall law : that were but types and figures of christ , &c. therefore it was the morall law : and truly , why not to be observed by us under the gospel , as well as by the beleevers before christs comming in the flesh ? provided we observe it but as those beleevers did , for they used it but as a guide to live honestly by , for abraham , isaac , and all the servants of god recorded in the scriptures of truth are said to be justified by faith , and therefore god commanded the jewes that were beleevers in the promise of everlasting life , by faith in christ , in the time of the prophet malachi , to remember the law of moses , which he had commanded in horeb ; these are the words of that text , remember yee the law of moses which i commanded him in horeb for all israel , &c. & rom. 7. 14. we know the law is spirituall , saith the apostle there , viz. it is suitable to the pure spirit of god , by the which our spirits should be qualified and guided to thoughts , words , and deeds , and therefore in matth. 5. 17 , 18. our saviour christ forbiddeth us to have so much as a thought , that the law or the prophets should be destroyed , but shall continue till all things be fulfilled , ( and that will not be till heaven and earth be passed away , &c. ) now that he meant the written law in this text is plaine , for the words are , vntill heaven and earth passe , the law shall not passe ; but if hee had meant the law onely written in the hearts of the godly , darkly , ( for so it is but darkly in the best ) then he would not have said , till heaven and earth passe ; for the law spirituall in the hearts of those that are to be saved shall be more perfect in them for evermore . and beside , to put you out of all doubt , see 1 cor. 9. 21. where paul confesseth ingenuously , that hee was then under the law to christ , even then when hee was a beleever in christ for salvation ; yea , as in rom. 7. 22. hee confessed hee did delight in the law of god , after the inner man , but even then there were some that did slander him in this very point , ( as is more then likely ) as you may easily perceive in rom. 3. 31. by his speech there as by way of vindication ; the words are these , doe we then make void the law through faith ▪ god forbid , yea , we establish the law ; thus you may see that he did not null the moral law , by his preaching of faith , nor yet by his beleeving it , therefore o yee antinomians detest your cursed tenet , for the best of us doe see our sins but dimly in our selves ; and although the more a man is sanctified the more hee can discerne the remnants of his sins in him , yet he cannot see them all : and you know the lesse a man is sanctified , the darker he is in his judgement in the knowledge of sin ; to speak plainly thus , we have all ( even the best of us ) need of a guide , for god hath ordained outward meanes , as well as inward , for the edifying of his saints ; and if we retain the law for a looking-glasse to shew us our deformities , and not to be justified by it , what hurt then is there in the retaining it ? it is to us not a curse but a blessing ; but if we reject it , and cast it off from using it , i am sure we shall thereby procure not a blessing but a curse , therefore beware lest you have unawares admitted of some jesuiticall spirits . i will note one thing more out of that in mat. 5. 17. viz. that our saviour joynes the law and the prophets together , and saith , that he was not come to destroy the law or the prophets ; why will you understand one of them in the spirituall sense onely , and the other in the literall onely ? for i hope you will all conclude , that he spake of the prophets in the literall sense , that their prophesies that are written shall last no longer then the end of the world ; therefore it is the law also that is written that our saviour meant , and not the law written in the hearts of his children ; and i hope that in 1 cor. 9. 21. and also that in rom. 7. & 22. will fully satisfie any honest man , that is capable of babes meat ; but i feare they hold another dangerous tenet , which this latter cursed tenet doth produce , viz. god is not angry with his children , though they act or commit such actions or deeds which god by his morall law hath forbid , as adultery , or fornication , or theft , or idolatry , and the rest ; and consequently , that a man needs not repent after any such vile actions . to this i answer , that god is angry with them when they so transgresse against him , and also did usually afflict them sore ; see for this , deut. 9. 20. the lord was angry with aaron , even to destroy him , in making the golden calf , although he were occasioned therunto , through fear of the peoples doing him some hurt ; this evill deed of aaron you may see in exod. 32. 21 , 22 , & 23. 24 , 25. deut. 4. 21 , 22. moses said , that the lord was angry with him for their sakes , for they occasioned him to be rash and unadvised in his words ; as in psal. 106. 32 , 33. and hee smote the rock in a rash anger , and therefore god was angry with him , deut. 3. 26. & 2 chron. 19. 1. therefore is wrath upon thee from before the lord ; for my part , i doe conclude with saint paul , and say , i am under the law to christ , 1 cor. 9. 21. for he , in ( almost all ) his epistles brings some of the morall law against them , dehorting them from sins contained in it ▪ as for this morall law , it brings to us no curse , that rule may still us awe , and we be ne'r the worse . now in the next place ( having found a law by the which we ought to walk by as a guide to us ) we are to encounter with another enemy , and this is one that would run where he pleaseth , and doe what he list without controule , and this i thought came so fierce as though hee came from bedlam , for he seemed to be a stark mad atheist , for he ran against his captain , reason , and his lievtenant both together ; the points of divine threats hee laboured to blunt , and nothing must restrain him , neither must he be punished for any of his mad and unruly deeds ; he will obey no law , but what he out of his inherent devillish inclination thinketh fittest , and yet he ( being blind ) will not bee restrained from dashing himself in pieces : i knew not how , or which way to meddle with him at the first , untill i heard of a pair of stocks , a cage , a gaole , and a jibbet , and then i began to walke a little nearer him , remembring what ( as it is said ) a champion once did with a spear ( though on hors-back ) his name was called george for england , and when i came neare him , i intending to joyn battail with him , ( as hee thought ) he began to pause , being almost weary and out of breath ; so then i began to endeavour to perswade him to a fair and right understanding to the yeelding to be ruled by some wholsome restraint of correction , alledging the authority of heaven against him ; my first allegation was deut. 25. 1 , 2. if there bee a controversie between men , and they come into judgement , that the judges may judge them ; then they shall justifie the righteous , and condemn the wicked . and it shall be , that if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten , that the judge shall cause him to lie down , and to be beaten before his face , according to his fault , by a certain number of stripes ; and in deut. 21. 18. it is thus written , if a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father , or the voice of his mother ; and then when they have chastened him , will not hearken unto them , then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him , and bring him out to the elders of the city , and unto the gate of his place ; and they shall say unto the elder● of his city , this our son is stubborn and rebellious , he will not obey our voice , he is a glutton and a drunkard , and all the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he die ; so shalt thou put evill away from among you , and all israel shall heare and feare ; and in exod. 32. 26 , 27 , 28. you may see that moses called a host of men to put idolaters to death , ( for those idolaters were many at that time ) they had a calfe-god made of gold ; and 2 chron. 15. 15. whosoever would not seek the lord god of israel , was to be put to death , ( by a covenant which they then made ) therefore they had the use of the magistrate at that time also : and surely a compulsive law to make people come to the ordinances of god ( in a kingdom where there is a power seated in the magistrate , hereditary , or otherwise ( among a people , especially that do profess the religion of god , as these in 2 chron. did ) ought so much the more to be used & put in execution , as those laws were in the time of asa , as in the place before quoted ; & so much you may easily conclude from that of our saviour , luk. 14. beginning at v. 16. and so forward to the end of v. 24. for the jewes being invited to the great supper , made light of it ; for which cause they were rejected of the king , viz god the father ; upon which rejection we gentiles were , and are invited , and in case we be unwilling to come to the supper , the servants have power put into their hands to compell men to come into this feast , ( that is to say ) the fatted calfe ; for these are the words of the text , go out into the high wayes and hedges , and compell them to come in , that my house may bee filled , viz. that they may partake of the ordinances of salvation , and yet all these had not on the wedding garment , as another of the evangelists informeth us , there was no strict choyce to bee made of all that mixt company that were in the high-ways and hedges ( at first ) before they were partakers of the ordinances of god , ( so to speak in the spiritual sense . ) if any object , that st. paul in acts 19 made a separation , and therfore we may also separate from them , and not punish . i answer , that paul had no power to compel the unbeleevers to submit themselves to him , neither had he power to punish them for any fault , for hee , and those that were then converted had not the lawfull power of superiority ; but if the principal powers of that people had been beleevers , then they might have punished the people for not obeying their commands in matters of the gospel , as well as they then would have done it for any other misdemenor , neither would the apostle have forbad them ; but when a man comes into a strange place , he may not exercise any authority of superiority , it belongs to the magistrate , and if the magistrate or magistrates , ( in whom the power is seated , together with the chief part of the people ) will not comply with the gospel of god , nor be favourable to the beleevers in christ , but oppose , and be injurious to the professors of salvation by faith in christ , then may the saints separate from the unbeleevers ; and we may see in the booke of nehemiah , ch. 13. v. 25. that nehemiah did not onely curse the jewes with the curse of god , ( that is , wished them some punishment ) but he also smote them , and plucked off their haire , &c. if we were but so wise , as to note the end wherefore punishment was ordained and appointed by god , to be exercised upon the bodies of men , ( for the more part ) we might soon see more clearly then blinde men doe ; for these are the words at the ends of many texts of the holy scriptures , viz. all israel shall heare and feare , and doe no more so : and again , so shall you put away evill from among you . but i wish with my heart and soule , that our punishing or afflicting were such as god appointed by moses , at least , in most particulars ; corporall punishment was then the command of god ( most ordinarily ) and that without respect of persons , or very little favour to those that were higher then others , ( amongst those that were under the king : ) surely men would more feare and be ashamed of bodily punishment , then of purse-punishment , for he that hath this worlds goods , maketh very light of paying a competent sum of mony for his offence ; but if ( as god commanded ) they might bee otherwise afflicted , viz. on their bodies , without much partiality , they would forsake their sins sooner ; but this would then hinder the filling of many purses , & therefore me thinks i hear their owners crying out against me : but if this were amended , i hope many that would have now no civill magistrates , would then easily conclude with the apostle st. paul , and yeeld obedience to principality and powers , as in tit. 3. 1. & rom. 13. 1 , 2. and if they will not bee a terror to good works , but to the evill workers , and will bee protectors of those that doe well , then i hope many will obey for conscience sake , as in ver. 3 , 4 , 5. o that all had hearts to say with me this truth . amen . the next point that hinders us and the independents , and divers sectaries from joyning in a uniformity in the government of the church , is the images , pictures , yea , and the monuments of idolatry , because they are not more fully taken away , the which causeth them to doubt , that idolatry will increase in this our kingdome again , ere long time be . but for this , i will answer them thus , the parliament hath made a good progresse already against them , and therefore i hope well for time to come , that there will be some farther progresse in this particular ; and for my part i will willingly joyne with you in this point , and i hope to produce clear scriptures for it too , for unlesse we have a speciall care to keep idolatry out , i know the wrath of god will fall upon us , for that is the sin which our saviour christ himselfe did say would bring desolation : my first scripture , is deut. 7. 25. burn the images , covet not the silver nor gold that is upon them , &c. and chap. 9. 21. moses burnt the golden calfe with fire , and stamped him , and ground him small even to dust , and cast the dust thereof into the river , and made the people drinke it , ( in a holy indignation against them , and the golden calfe , as you may see in exod. 32. 20. ) and in 2 king. 18. 4. was the like zeale of hezekiah , in breaking in pieces the brazen serpent , the which was set up for a good use and end at the first , ( but that the people had afterwards idolatrized to it , and therefore it was broken , to take away , or cut off the occasion of idolatry in future time : ) and he called it nehushtan , viz. a piece of brasse , in way of detestation , &c. so that we shall wel enough agree herein , and i hope all honest men wil say amen to this ; for see ezek. 43. 7 , 8 , 9. and there also you may learne , that god would not be appeased towards those jews , unlesse the carkasses of those kings that had been idolaters were taken away , which then lay there as monuments , &c. another point which those that divided from us are afraid of very much , is this , viz. lest idolatry be occasioned to be in this kingdom , by reason of the permitting of idolaters to live amongst us ; and some peoples marrying with those that are idolaters ; and truly that is some cause to be feared : yet wee have good grounds of hope to the contrary too , for much is amended in this kinde already , we may expect a farther care will be taken herein , by the chiefe eyes of this our israel , for it is a dangerous sin , as we may prove by scripture and experience too : we will produce them as followeth , the first is exod. 34. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. in this place you may see that the parents of those people there mentioned , viz. the jewes , might not take the daughters of the idolaters , ( that were idolaters ) to be their sons wives , nor give their daughters to be wives to their sons , as you may see in deut. 7. 3 , 4. and therefore those were to be drove out of the land from the people of god , as you may see in exod. 23. 31 , 32 , 33. but the people would not doe as god had commanded them , but mixed themselves amongst them , and ( too soon ) learned their works , as you may see in numb. 25. 2 , 3 , 4. and the lord was so fiercely angry with them for this their so doing , that hee spake to moses to take the heads of those people , and hang them up against the sun , that the fierce anger of the lord might be turned away from israel ; i pray you see the place . and by this their mixing with them they learned their works , as you may see in psal. 106. 34 , 35 , 36. and ahab was forwarded in idolatry , by marrying of a daughter of a zidonian king , for which cause the lord sent a sore famine , as you may see in 1 kings 16. 30 , 31. it is such a bewitching sin , that even wise solomon himself was led and occasioned to it by such marriage , as you may see in 1 kings 1. 2 , 3 , 4. and therefore he lost ten tribes of his kingdom from his son afterwards for it . thus we see how prevalent a thing it is to be mixed with idolaters , but more especially to have a wife lie in his bosome that is an idolater ; and see what severity nehemiah used to the jews in his time for this sin , even for such marriages ; he did separate them again , and pulled them by the haire , and smote them for it also , even for this their sinne , as in nehem. 13. 23. to the end of that chapter . doubtlesse his heart cannot be right with god , that liketh idolaters no worse , then to take of them to be his bosome friend , and especially in marriage ; and popish idolaters are worse then those ; if any will say that the papists are not idolaters : to this i answer , they are worse then many other idolaters ; and thus i close against them : first , their images are idols , which they bow unto , and therefore their worship is idolatry , see 2 chron. 33. 7. if they say they doe not worship the image , but that they worship god by that image ; i say they lie : 1 they cannot make a resemblance of god . and 2 they cannot prove that ever god commanded any such manner of worship . 3 god hath forbid the making of such images throughout the holy scriptures , but hath commanded his servants to break them down ; and if you look in zeph. 1. 5. you may see the jews had intended some such hodge-podge , for they worship the lord , and yet they would sweare by their malchom too ; and you may read , 2 kings 17. 41. that the israelites at that time are said to feare the lord , and yet they then served their images too , where you may see clearly , that those jews pretended to worship god by way of those images ; and this is just so as our papists do plead for their idolatrous worship , or worship by images ; and so in many places in that chapter aforesaid are the like passages : where you may see also , that the lord threatens them for it ; yea , those in zephany 1. aforesaid , are threatened to be cut off , as in the former part of that first chapter you may see , in deut. 4. god forbad the making of any resemblance of him , and tells them by moses , that they saw no manner of similitude , in the day the lord spake with them in horeb , &c. lest they should corrupt ●hemselves , and make a graven image , the similitude of any figure , the ●ikenesse of male or female , or the likenesse of beast , fowle , fish , or ●reeping thing , or sun , moon , or stars , or host of heaven , and so they ●hould be driven to worship them , and serve them ; i pray observe the word , driven , viz. god will deliver such a one up to the power of sa●an , and so become a worshipper of the image it self : and truly it is the onely way to become an idolater : first , to invent a similitude of god , and make it accordingly ; and then worship god by it ; and after that to worship and adore the thing it selfe ; and history doth declare thus much to us , as we may read in the book of wisdome , chap. 14. ver. 12 , 13 , 14. to the end of ver. 20. now if we have cause to beware of idolaters , then much more of popish idolaters , for they are more dangerous then those former idolaters were , for these do more persecute the true servants of god , then those idolaters did ; these professe they do god good service in slaying of us the true servants of god , as our saviour foretold , and we always have found it to be true , by all their treacherous and murtherous plots ; yea , they are so much the more dangerous , because ( that although they call themselves christians in way of dissimulation ) they call us hereticks , and our religion heresie too ; and therefore wee ought to bee more wary of them , then of other idolaters , for all the devils in hell cannot devise a more dangerous people and religion then they , and theirs is , therefore it is good to lay out some of their tenets , by the which we may see them the more clearly to bee the doctrine of devills , leading to damnation . and thus i do begin briefly , they hold that there is a purgatory , or a place to purge us of our sins , after this life , so that if wee bee not the true servants & children of god in this life , yet notwithstanding we may be there made capable of everlasting salvation in heaven : the which will nourish all men in sin that so beleeveth ; for if men be perswaded that there is another place after their death to prepare them for heaven , then they will live here as they list , and so be damned : but to what end is the doctrine of faith and sanctification so much preached in this life , both by the prophets , our saviour , his apostles , and succeeding ministers ; and why is dives complaining in hell , ( so to speak ) if this be a truth ; those that are not converted in this life , shall not be acknowledged by christ after this life ended , he will then say to them , goe yee cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the devil and his angels . secondly , that images of god and saints are to bee worshipped . thirdly , that prayers to saints departed are to be made , and their intercession to be required . fourthly , that there is a propitiatory sacrifice to be offered daily in the masse for the sinnes of the quick and dead . fifthly , that a man may merit heaven by his good works . sixthly , that it is a mortall sin to read the scripture , ( but by the popes dispensation . ) seventhly , that their clergy ought to preach in an unknown tongue . eightly , that if the pope do pronounce a man to be a saint , he then is one , and must be so . ninthly , that there is a vertue in their water with which they baptize their infants , that doth conjure the evill spirits out of them , putting oyle upon them , and salt and spittle in their mouths . tenthly , that the pope cannot erre in his judgement or decrees . 11 that the laity are not to drink the blood of christ in the sacrament , viz. the wine . 12 that those are hereticks that have recourse to the hebrew and greek tongues . 13 they represent god the father in the similitude of an old man . 14 they represent god the son sometimes like a lambe , &c. they may as well make a rock , a brasen serpent , a pillar in a cloud , &c. 15 they resemble the holy ghost like a dove , and why not as cloven tongues , as fire ? but as the holy ghost saith by the prophet esay , 46. 5. to whom will ye liken me that i may be like him ? 16 they pray to the crosse blasphemously , in these words , haile crosse our only hope , give to the godly righteousnesse , and to the guilty pardon : yea , all that passe by it must worship it , otherwise they are liable to be punished . 17 they offer cakes to the picture of the virgin mary , and worship it . 18 bonaventure hath transformed the psalter of david , to the honor of the virgin mary , changing god into goddesse , and lord into lady , and where it is said by david , praise the lord , by him it is said , praise the lady ; and for , trust in the lord , trust in the lady ; and in his 35 psalm are these words , incline the countenance of god upon us , and compell him to have mercy upon us . 19 bellarmine affirmed , that if the pope did erre , commanding vice , forbidding vertue , the church should bee bound to believe vice to be good , and vertue to bee evill , except shee would sin against conscience . 20 they offer incense to the saints in generall , and pray unto them , and sweare by them . 21 the roman church maintaineth that the merits , intercession , and blood of the saints and martyrs , are mixed as satisfactory with the blood , merits , and intercession of christ : o horrid blasphemy ! 22 they baptize bels and ships . 23 they blesse holy water , ( as they call it , and sprinkle it upon men and beasts upon st. anthonies day , ( as they call it ) and on all the horses and beasts in the countrey , ( as some that are converted from their religion affirm ) whereby the monks get abundance of mony to maintain them in their base knavery and idlenesse a long time afterward . 24 they allow incestuous marriages , contrary to the fourth commandement . 25 they deny concupiscence to be formally sin after baptisme , as if in any article of time it might bee said of man , that he is without sin . 26 ( notwithstanding all these blaspemies and abominations ) hee yet affirmeth himself to bee the vicar of christ , yea , the head or supreme over the catholick church of christ . and now i will note the popes pride : 1 frederick barbarossa was forced to lay down his neck upon the stairs of the church of st. mark ( as it is called ) in venice , to bee trod upon by that proud man of sin ; and his son ( after the pope had crowned him ) was uncrowned again , by the popes kicking off his crown with his foot , &c. 2 kings and emperors must act the parts of foot-grooms , to lead his horse by the bridle , and supporting him by holding his stirrup , and mounting him upon his horse . 3 they must be as pioners or porters to beare him upon their shoulders . 4 they must be as pages , to hold water to his hands . 5 he commands the angels to transport soules out of purgatory , ( i hope you will say he is climed very high now . ) 6 he ( even the pope ) wears a triple crown , signifying that he is the three-one-god ; and so much the apostle saith of him in 2 thess. 2. in some of the former verses , that he should sit in the temple of god , shewing himself that he is god . and now ( according as i have collected out of history ) i wil note the horoscope of his nativity ; and thus i begin it : this popery was conceived in the apostles time , as in 2 thess. 2. is shewed . 2 it was quickned in the time of victor . 3 it did stir more powerfully under stephanus and cornelius , bishops of rome . 4 more under damasus and others following . 5 it moved more strongly in the time neare its birth , under leo the first . 6 it was born and brought to the view of the world by boniface the third , upon whom the title of universall bishop was conferred by phocas the emperor . 7 it came to its height and ripenesse in the time of hildebrand , in whom antichrist was visible , france and germany espyed it then , and greece , syria , africa , and aethiopia hath disclaimed his power , as antichristian ; i will adde one people more in particular , that have and doe now see him to bee antichrist , and child of the devill , and those are we in england ; now those that have seen him in these colours , may well ( if they have any saving grace in them ) know and beleeve , that both the independents , ( so many as are sincere hearted ) and wee the presbyterialists , have great cause to be jealous of his wiles ▪ and fear lest he get footing again with us in england , i hope in this we shall all be joyned in uniformity . but now in order i come to note another great hinderance of many of the sectaries joyning in a uniformity in this presbyteriall government , and that is this , viz. they have a feare lest we should have some want of laws to punish those that shall hap to be idolaters amongst us : for if so , then the sheep that as yet have not the scab will soon bee itchy , and be spoyled too , for ( say they ) the true proverbe is , that one scabbed sheep will spoile the whole flock : it 's true so , i am not against you in this neither , because you have the word of god for your direction to this conclusion , both commands , and the reasons for it too , and examples of the inconveniences that have followed the neglecting of the putting in execution those good laws that god hath commanded us to use against idolaters , to prevent this so great a mischief , yet now i hope we shall have care taken by the parliament for this matter too , and we have some experience of it already . let us now see what it is that god hath commanded in this case , and then we willl endevour to make a true conclusion from the word of god , ( for he is no honest man that will refuse to be ruled and guided by that ) i will produce some scripture for this point also , and the first place is in deut. 13. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. where we may see , that those that were occasioners of idolatry in israel were to bee put to death , yea , though it were a mans own child , yet he must die for it , and his parent must not conceal him , but bring him out that he may die for it : and the parents hands must be first upon him to put him to death ; and a speciall reason is rendred for it too in ver. 11. viz. all israel shall hear and fear , and doe no more such wickednesse ; pray see these texts , for i conclude it is a most hellish sin in any man to make a separation between god and his people , thereby robbing god of his glory , and his people of their salvation ; and in 2 kings 23. you may read that josiah did put to death the idolatrous priests , and eliah did the like to the priests of baal , as it is to be seen in 1 king. 18. 40. and in exod. 22 20. you may see gods command is so there , these are the words , he that sacrificeth ●o any god , save to the lord only , shall be slain & l●v . 26. 30. yea , the bones of idolaters that were dead and lay in the m●numents were burnt , 2 kin. 23. 16. and the bodies of the idolatrous kings , must not lye near the place of gods worship and service , as you may see in ezek. 43. 7. let us leave this a while to the parliament to consider of : thus you see that i am willing to yeeld to you in any thing that is certainly to be concluded on . and thus much for this point . if nought but truth you will maintaine , i strive to have the same , if you the golden truth would claime , then i am for that name . now appeareth another point unto me ready for its taggs , sent to me as from a messenger of heaven , bemoaning and lamenting in the behalf of the lords prayer , sanctified with his own lips . and truly this almost affrighted me . and i wondered what beast ( amongst those in the apocalyps mentioned ) this was , that sent forth such a smoaking sulphurous favour . at length , i thought i had espyed two kinds of creatures ; and the one me thought was a subtle jesuite in an honest mans habit , who seeing an honest man willing and forward to run away from rome , and that they had but a weak judgment , ( and therefore might run too farre ) hee therefore fluttering with the invented wings of either dedalus , or the wings of his son i●arus ) beat the wind so close to their backs as they ran , that they were too far gone of a sodain , and were almost in the red sea before they were aware of it , and were like to have been drowned in their own bloud . and then i was well perswaded in my minde concerning this beast , and knew hee was one of romes croaking frogs : but as for the other , me thought he had some goodnesse in him indeed , but yet hee had some malignity and peevishnesse in him against those that had abused the formes of prayer before , ( for there is some malignity in some of those that are in the most right way ) and so he helped forward this distemper . i seeing thus where the distemper lay , did resolve to walke in the middle way of truth , that so i might guide the simple , and settle him in the truth , and send the croaking frog to his home at rome ; and thus i began to argue ; first , that a form of prayer of it selfe , being the word of god , must needs be good . secondly , that a man may pray to god in the words of that form ; for though some doe but babble in a form , yet you may not conclude that all are babblers that use a form , for then you will condemn our saviour , for hee used a form two or three times together a little before his death ; and the psalms of david were penned for praises to god for some mercies before received , and were to be sung afterwards to gods glory ; this you cannot deny i am sure . and if you say , men do now but speak the words of it ; and therefore if they were debarred of them , then they would pray in the spirit , ( if they have any saving grace in them . ) to this i answer in the first place , with the words of st. paul , to the pure , all things are pure , but to the contrary party nothing is pure , for their mindes and consciences are defiled ; the meaning is this , that those that have honest hearts , will honestly make use of honest things . again , if you would utterly deprive all sorts of a form of prayer , how then shall ignorant youths , and little young maids pray ? nay , many times old men are but new converts , and what will you have them do ? if they use many words in a prayer , they will too soon ask they know not what , like the mother of zebedees children ; yea , they ( being ignorant ) will presently in their pride of spirit think themselves fit to fit at the elbows of christ in heaven , ( for they will think they are fitter for the place then moses or aaron ; ) surely it were safer for such to use that form which god taught the people in the time of moses , deut. 28. it was to them a form , viz. amen . but if you can pray knowingly , then poure out your hearts to god according to true knowledge : but i have heard some pray , or say many words , and but little matter , but chiefly it was tautologie , and often repeating the same words , and could not proceed farther , and thought themselves highly gifted too ; therefore take heed of spirituall pride , judge of your abilities with a single eye . i know some that have applauded a minister for making such an admirable prayer , as none near him was to be compared unto him , but it was the sillyest tautologie , that i was ashamed to heare it . doe you think in your conscience , that if you were taught in a form to ask for a hundred pounds of some that are both able and willing to give it ; and also you wanted bread to put in your belly , ( being hungry and empty ) that then you could not ask in that forme ? yes , i warrant you ; therefore beware of spirituall pride . but now having thus a little prepared you ( as i hope ) for some sure instruction , i now come more home to you , luke 11. 1. you may see that our saviour taught his disciples a form of prayer , ( they not knowing how to pray , as it seems ( unlesse some short prayer , as at some other times they did , as in these words , lord increase our faith , &c. ) in these words , when ye pray say , our father which art in heaven , &c. here you may see that they were to use the words that he taught them . and although luke hath it in this manner , pray you , that 's nothing to overthrow this evangelist , for both wayes are lawfull ; nay , god sometime did bid the jews that they should take unto them words , and come to him in prayer , and taught them a form of words too by the prophet h●sea , 14. 2 , 3. these are the words , take unto you words , and turn to the lord ; say unto him , take away all iniquitie , and receive us graciously , so will wee render the calves of our lips ; ashur shall not save us , we will not rid : upon horses ; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands , ye are our gods , for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy . all this form of prayer the lord taught the people by the prophet hosea : and col. 3. 16. let the word of christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome , teaching and admonishing one another in psalms , hymnes , and spirituall songs , singing with grace in your hearts to the lord , &c. he did not here mean ( in this place ) any new psalmes or hymnes , for he bad them admonish each other in those psalmes and hymnes ; therefore those psalmes and hymnes were then canonicall : although i could wish that upon some occasion , ( were it not for startling the weak in knowledge ) that some preacher that were a solid man , would frame a psalm for that speciall occasion , ( for he that can make a prayer according to the word , is able also to make a psalm ) but this i think would be inconvenient ; but this is fit to bee done , viz. the preacher himself should fit a psalme out of the book of psalmes for the severall occasions , and suitable to his sermon . and thus much for this point also , with this conclusion : now since we had no prayer-booke , the sabbath afternoons ; the sleep so much , some heads have tooke , that dead they are in swoons . some scriptures we in stead thereof , might safely entertaine ; lest wee so much from it be off , that there wee sit in vaine . and now me thinketh i see another stand by , with a question in his mouth ; ( for these times are fraught with them now ) and this is it , viz. how if pipes and organs should chance to be put upon us againe , as they were before the parliament begun , will not that bee idolatry thinke you ? and if so , then i hope you will graunt us a warrant to run out of the church ? to this i answer , first , what is lawfull in it selfe is one thing , and what is an inconvenience , is another thing ; therefore ye ought to be informed well in your judgement before you bee too forward to make a conclusion . first , if in it selfe it be idolatry now , what was it all that time , when god himself in davids time allowed it , in the praises of his people ? if you say that the pope useth it to his idols , and therefore it is idolatry . i answer , so did the heathen very likely ; and besides , if that be it by the which you would gather a conclusion , viz. that because the papists use it , therefore we may not use it , then may not we sing unto the true god because the papists sing unto their idols , ( for singing is melody ) therefore this your argument is of no validity . but here is another question put to mee , and this is the maine one , viz. in the time of the old law it was lawfull , but is not now , it being not now commanded , therefore it is unlawfull . to this i answer , briefly : if you consider the end wherefore it was at the first allowed , you may easily make conclusion . the end why it was first allowed was this , to occasion joyfulnesse or chearfulnesse in the users and hearers of it , that so they might praise god with the more lively affections , ( for all know it is an outward occasion of naturall joy ; ) and the word of god being then used with it , viz. in psalmes or hymnes , doe turn the use of it ( by the operation of gods spirit ) to the more hearty praising of god . secondly , to your question more fully , that is , because it is not commanded by the apostles , therefore it is not now lawfull for us to use it in the praises of god . why , the apostles would have us to use all meanes possible to inable us to praise god the more chearfully : but ( saith some ) some doe regard the melody more then the matter they sing , or god to whom they sing . to this i answer , so without all question doe some that sing without musicke , and have no devotion to god . therefore the apostles conclusion must bee ours , viz. to the pure , all good things are pure , but to them that are otherwise is no good thing pure . thirdly , but the parliament hath forbid it now , and therefore it is unlawfull . i doe answer , that many things at this time are forborn for divers reasons . first , it is ( and especially hath lately been ) a time of mourning , yea , to mourne with sorrowfull hearts , rather then joyous hearts , although wee bee godly disposed at that time , ( for you know in the time of david musick was not used , when they fasted to god , and were humbled for some punishment that then was upon them . ) secondly , it might be forbid by the parliament to satisfie the people who are weake in their judgement and thought every thing was popery or idolatry , because some did begin to leave that way , and then it ought to be taken away for the present . thirdly , because the people were addicted to idolatry , ( many of them ) therefore it ought to bee taken away . for the brasen serpent that was set up ( at first ) for good use , was taken downe , yea , and broken in pieces , in way of detestation and called a piece of brasse , when the people had idolatrized to it ; but this shall be my conclusion , it is no great matter whether it be or bee not , and so i end this point , with a generall reason why i have treated thus much in it , which is this , i would gladly learn the reader hereof , to make some distinctions ; for , for want of this , many mischiefs are amongst us ; and the leaders of the sectaries , either cannot or will not doe it : what the reasons are i leave to you , to be guided by some of those i mentioned in my former points , viz. policy . but now i will set to your view some scriptures to you to pitch your judgement on more clearely , both out of the old and new testament : first in exod. 15. 20. miriam the prophetesse did praise the lord with instruments of musick . judg. 11. 34 , 35. there you may see jephthah's daughter did it too . chap. 21. 19 , 20 , 21. there was a feast at shiloh yearly , a feast of the lord , ( saith the text ) and the daughters of shiloh did use to dance there at that feast . psal. 149. 3. l●t them praise the lord in the dance , let them sing praises to him with the tymbrell and harpe : and psal. 150. & psal. 33. 2 , 3 , 4. psal. 108. 1 , 2. and i will end with that in the revelation of john , chap. 14. v. 2 , 3. and i pray consider of it ; these are the words , i heard the voice of harpers , harping with their harps , and they sung , as it were , a new song before the throne , &c. and chap. 15. 2. 3. these are the words of those that had gotten the victory over the beast , they had harps of god , ( saith the text ) and they sang the song of moses the servant of god , and the song of the lamb , saying , great and marvailous are thy workes lord god almighty , just and true are thy wayes , thou king of saints . and thus much for this point . some have such tender sculls , they 'l dye with little haile ; as goslings tender be , alas what doe they aile ? and now i desire to know wherein the difference lyeth betwixt those that stand for the presbyteriall government , and those that separate from them , by reason of those things contained in those points thus lately treated of ; and consequently why we may not joyn together in the presbyteriall government . and now i come to the first of the last three things i promised to touch , and that is to answer some of the sectaries to some things which they affirm of themselves , concerning their conversation , that they are the most godly people in their lives and conversations , and therefore they have the better judgements . to this i answer , wee may not take your bare word for it neither ; for if men plead for a confusion , it is rather a sign of the contrary . secondly , it is is an ill signe in you , to be so uncharitable in your censures of us the presbyterials , you account most of us to be uncapable of the sacraments , although you cannot prove us to live in such sins , ( and especially in that degree in those sins ) which the word of god doth exclude a man for ; and is this a good sign think you ? thirdly if you say that you are more zealous in your following the preachers , and the exercises of religion ; & therefore you are better , and more godly then the presbyterials . i answer , so might the pharisees have said , for which cause they had their name zelotes ( many of them ; ) yea , this was the cause that they did separate from the residue of the people , and would be called pharisees , the which word commeth of the hebrew word phares , which signifieth to make a breach by separating from others ; and is this a commendation alwayes think you ? you know the pharisees were worse then the common people were from whom they separated , for inwardly they were full of rottennesse ; yea , our saviour said of them , that they were ravening wolves , although they were so zealous to pay tithe of mint , anise , and cummin . by all this you see now , that your argument therein is stark naught ; besides , i have found that the presbyterialls are more forward to neighbourly goodwill , and to accommodate a man with what they can , then you are : this i have proved to be true ( although i have not any thing of any man , but what i pay for . ) but the independents are full of shifts and excuses , ( so many as i have been acquainted with ) i wish they would not equivocate so much as they doe ; i hope they will ●eale truly in their shops . fourthly , they say they have more knowledge in the word and will of god then the presbyterialls have . i answer , ( if this were true ) you are so much the worse , if your hearts are not thereby made better ; for you come much short of the pharisees in our saviours time , in the literall knowledge of divine things , yet they were the worst of people . besides , it is not true neither which you affirm of your selves , viz. that you are the most knowing , for you are exceeding weak in your judgements , ( for the more part ) and many of the presbyterialls , which have not the tenth part of literall knowledge , have notwithstanding a better understanding in many things in the word of god , and sincere hearted too . fifthly , i wish i might not say that there is with you too many mountaines of spirituall pride ; for there was another sect among the jews , that called themselves sadduces , and would be thought to be more just in their dealings then other men , and yet were not such as had saving grace in their hearts , they called themselves sadduces from the hebrew word tsedek , ( as some expositors affirm ) and yet they denyed the resurrection from the dead , therefore this is no true infallible signe neither . sixthly , are you not as forward to corporall pride , as the presbyterialls too ? ( although i think you are not so sick of the fashions , as some of the presbyterialls are . ) seventhly , are you not more obstinate in your way of separation after conviction , then the presbyterialls are ? i wish i could not justly complaine of this ; for i have knowne many , when they have yeelded in many chief things in their way of separation , and yet would go on still in their way of divisions ; so that with you is wilfull obstinacy also . i doe not speak this to excuse the presbyterialls from many sins , no , i blame our selves exceedingly too : but this is the maine thing which i aime at , to beat downe men from esteeming of themselves above that which they are . and thus much for this point also . some have such shallow-heads and gnats about their eares ; i think their hearts be dead ; where is their hopes , their feares ? now farther ( you say ) that many of our side are ignorant in the word of god , and live loosly in their conversations ; it is true , they doe so ; and you say they be proud and scornfull in their carriage to their inferiours , and think to have others to stoop to them because of their gay-cloaths and big looks , they having ( many of them ) much of this worlds good ; but yet they have little or no vertue in them ; the which is that which is worthy of the true respect , and not a bare title . in this i will not dissent from you , but will conclude , that a wise man will not much respect any thing that is but an adjunct of a man , and is no part of the man , for dives was gay , and had this worlds goods , but yet he was not any whit the better esteemed of god , but hell must be the place of such a one : but yet these with us may have some saving grace in them ; for you must endevour to distinguish degrees of good and evill , otherwise you will never bee able to make a true conclusion . and truly this is a great reason for me to conclude that your leaders are either ignorant of these things , or else they keep you blinde on purpose , that so you may remaine separatists still . you may know that those that have this worlds goods are lyable to many temptations , which other inferiour people are more free from ; and though they themselves fail as much another way perhaps too . have you never seen a man that being holden in from occasions of temptations , by being in a mean estate , and thereby afflicted ; who , afterwards , having been raised to a greater estate , was more vaine then those whom hee before counted wicked ; see how good david failed in godlinesse , when great temptations encountred him , as being at rest in his kingdom of wealth , walking and solacing himself upon his house top , and having such an object of carnall delight ; and that sin did occasion another as great , o that was a great one indeed ! for having faln into the sinne of adultery , and thereby being lyable to disgrace , he thought to cover it , by using policy , and yet that policy must neverthelesse goe somewhat neare him too ; but yet he thought , having such an occasion to hazard vriah in battail , it would be the more tolerable , and therefore hee adventured upon the cutting off of vriah , that so he might take her to be his wife , to cover the sin from being known : to be short , they are more lyable to carnality and vanity then many other men are , although they have saving grace in them . but what is all this for the point we stand for , viz. the government of the church ? i still stand for truth , although abuses be ; for i know , no outward accommodations will bestead us at the great and dreadfull day of judgment . no strouts , nor clouts , nor words that swell , that will bestead us then ; for i know well , and doe you tell 't is vertue maketh men . and now in the next place i must note another thing which is prevalent in keeping men from renouncing an opinion once maintained by them , though now convinced ; and that is the undergoing of some disgrace , lest others doe deride them ; and truly my heart almost bleedeth to think of it , for it is a great tryall indeed , and especially if men have not a great measure of grace ; but yet i hope we do consider that god is to have his glory , what ever we undergoe ; let god be true , and every man a lyer . and i hope , ●f the presbyterialls be well admonished , they will forbeare scoffing at those that shall come and joyn with us . for , ( as one once said , so say i ) are there not sins with us also ? yes surely , in many things we sin all : o that we could joyn together , then might wee easily prevail of the parliament , wholsome laws , yea , and officers too , to keep us in a more stricter way in godlinesse . now let us take some notice of such things as may whet our affections more specially to perform our duties severally : first , god is worthy of all honour , and to have all glory ascribed to him , yea , all good is ( and ought ) to be ascribed to him , for he is the totality of all things ; in him we live , move , and have our being ; and in him all things consist , whose goodnesse doth appeare in his creating of us after his own image , in holinesse and righteousnesse , and knowledge , and other qualities ; in a fit degree for creatures to have resemblance of their creator , and to be blessed for evermore ; whose purity may be seen in his law which he hath set to our view , to behold his excellency in ; the which moses the man of god admired with these words to the children of israel , what nation is there under heaven that have lawes so righteous as ye have ? and david saith thus of them to god , thy law is very pure , therefore thy servant loveth it . and consider also how wee ( in the loines of our first parents ) are falne from that happy estate of that blessed creation ; and also what is due to us now by falling from god by our disobedience , even everlasting damnation and torture , and torment in hell for evermore . consider also the goodnesse of god in providing for us a remedy , that we may not be subjects of torments in hell , but be vessels of glory in heaven , onely upon good and honest conditions , faith in the merits of his son our saviour , and requi●eth nothing of us but to walk honestly , righteously , and godly in this world , according to those graces of his holy spirit knocking at the doores of our hearts , and bidding us open , yea , that giveth us power and ability to open , onely that we be not wanting in the not using those abilities which he doth give us ; but if we slight and neglect this second great mercy of his , then must we be subjects of the greater torments in hel for evermore with dreadful devils , and cursed fiends , and damned angels , and with men in a woful condition , being tortured and tormented , easless , and endless , gnashing their teeth in anguish and pain . consider this , and beware , and take heed in time , before time be no more . now let us consider what allurements the lord our god hath set forth in his scriptures of truth for our encouragement , the prophet daniel in his 12 chapter , saith , those that be wise shall shine as the sun ; and those that turn many unto righteousnesse , shall shine as the stars for ever , and ever . and in the book called the ap●calyps or revelation , are many allurements for us to be whetted on in godlinesse ; to him that overcommeth will i give ( said god ) to eate of the manna that is hid ; and to walk in white ; and to drink of the water of the pure river of god that is in that celestiall paradise ; yea , to weare a crown ; and to eat of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of god ; and to have power over the nations , ( which betokeneth the glory of an emperor ; ) and to have a morning star ; yea , he shall be a pillar glittering in the temple of god ; yea , christ will write upon him the name of god ; and the name of the city of his god , new jerusalem , &c. yea , christ will write upon him his own name also . rev. 3. 12. and be will s●p with him , yea , ●e shall sit in the throne of christ with him , ver. 21. thus we see the goodness of god in giving us such allurements to become his sons and heires of the celestial kingdom . and these are held forth to us , to the end we might not be weary in wel-doing , though we meet with many discouragements ; for god hath ordained , that wee must through many afflictions enter into the kingdom of heaven ; these things made moses , joseph , and the rest of the patriarchs ( or the most of them ) to undergo many tryals ; and the prophets to bee content to be sawne asunder , beheaded as iohn baptist was , and to be slain as iames the apostle , and divers of the rest of them , and to bee cast into dungeons , as ieremiah ▪ &c. to be bound and imprisoned , and slaine or beheaded , as paul was ; yea , to be so tortured as those you may see in heb. 11. and cruly i wish some in these our dayes would beware lest they use some little better then those that stripped honest joseph of his goodly coat , because it seemed in their eyes to be too good for him ; i am sure at length they confessed that their trouble and afflictions were repayed into their own bosomes , because they were guilty concerning their brother ; and therefore behold , ( said reuben ) his blood is required . i will conclude with that holy and heroicall-spirited habakkuk in 3 chap. & 17 , 18 , 19 verses ; these are his words , although the fig should not blossome , neither fruit be in the vines ; though the labour of the olive should faile , the field should y●eld no meat ; though the flock should be cut off from the fold , and there bee no herd in the stalls , yet i will rejoyce in the lord , i will joy in the god of my salvation ; the lord god is my strength , and ●e will make my feet like hindes feet , and he will make me to walk upon mine high-places ; to the chief singer on my stringed instrument , &c. here followeth a few other points , that some fearfully doe miscarry in , and the first i stand amazed at , viz. that any should either beleeve or say , that our saviour took not flesh of the virgin mary ; i will onely quote scriptures to satisfie some , lest weak honest soules do chance to stumble and fall by such hereticks ; the first is rom. 9. 5. whose are the fathers , and of whom as concerning the flesh christ came ; here you see that christ came of the fathers , yea , that of them he received his flesh . rom. 1. 3. jesus christ was made of the seed of david according to the flesh ; here the apostle saith , that he was made of the seed of david , &c. act. 22. 30. of the fruit of davids loines according to the flesh , god would raise up christ to sit on his throne . acts 13 23. christ was of the seed of david according to the flesh . and so much for this point . another sort there is , ( i know not what to call them ) that hold that the soule of man is begot or derived from its parents , or one of them ; but this is such a fancy , that i detest to think of it : first , a word or two by reason , against it , why should not every childe have two souls and so be a monster , if that your conclusion were a truth , by receiving it from its parents ? for although the matter of the body is to be derived by reason of its nourishment which it receiveth from the 4 elements , yet the soul is not to bee derived so from the parents , for that is a spirituall inspiration , and is not nourished by any of the four elements , but hath its existence and subsistence from god onely . and now i come to scriptures , the first is mal. 2. 15. when god made one , yet ●e had the residue of the spirit , &c. therefore man had no more spirit , neither hath any man , any more spirit or soul but what he hath received from god immediatly , for saith the text , god had the residue of the spirit . eccles. 12. 7. the spirit shall return to god who gave it ; and hence it is ( very likely and chiefly ) that god is said to be the god of the spirits of all flesh , rather then of the flesh it self ; for although god be the god of the flesh too , yet that being made of the four elements , is not so specially regarded of god , as the spirit or soul is ; and hence it is very likely that moses calleth god , the god of the spirits of all flesh , as in numb. 16. 22. let the lord the god of the spirits of all flesh , set a man over the congregation : so much shall serve for that point . gods dearest children sometimes falling into some capitall sinne or sins , may thereby occasion the lord to scourge them temporally for it , especially if it be openly committed or publickly known , though they repent of it , and more especially if it be not more speedily repented of , as we may see in david for his numbring his people in his pride , and 2 sam. 12. 10. there you may see , that a man may have a scourge for som sin as long as he liveth ; for because of davids sin with bathshebah , and his slaying of vriah in a kind of politick way to save his credit , and cover his sin , the sword did never depart from his house : let us beware of sin in that regard also . now a word for the comfort of all that are in christ by faith , to prevent some mens discouraging of good christians , telling them that they cannot be sure of everlasting life , so long as they are here on earth . here followeth some scriptures to prove that a man may be assured of his salvation here in this world ; the first is in joh. 6. 47. verily , verily i say unto you , he that beleeveth on me hath everlasting life ; here the evangelist doth not barely say , that a beleever hath life , but that he hath everlasting life ; & in ver. 54 also , & joh. 5. 24. he that beleeveth on him that sent me , hath everlasting life , and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death to life ; & 2 pet. 1. 10 , 11. make your calling and election sure ; for if you doe these things you shall never fall , for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our lord and saviour iesus christ ; now if you would know what things those bee that you must have , that so you never fall , but be assured to be entred into heaven , as it were , before-hand , then look in ver. 5 , 6 , 7. going before , and there you may see them ; the which if you get , you are sure never to fal i doe not affirm that all beleevers have that faith of assurance , spoken of in this last text , but that it is and may be obtained . the reason why men doe not see the salvation of god in christ is ( among many ) especially because they doe not yeeld obedience in their hearts to so much of the morall law , as they know , either in the letter of it , informing their hearts or consciences ; or without the letter , viz. written in their conscience . if any man will doe his wil , he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of god , or whether i speak of my self , jo●. 7. 17. psal. 50. 23. to him that ordereth his conversation aright , will i sh●w the salvation of god ▪ ezek. 43. 10 , 11. if they be ashamed of all that they have done , shew them the form of the house , &c. i know there must bee some generall hopes in a man that hath the knowledge of his sins which hee seeth in him ; although that knowledg be not with saving faith in the merits of christ , but some generall notions that will not bestead him that resteth in them . 2 cor 3. 16. when the heart shall be turned to the lord , the vail shall be taken away . until a man repenteth himself of those sins which god hath convinced him of in his conscience , he shall remain blinde in the matter of salvation by christ , for there must goe a legall repentance before an evangelicall repentance ; therefore christ saith , mat. 21. 23 ▪ you when you heard , repented not that you might beleeve him ; god giveth many gifts , but man neglecteth him . here are places to shew , that there is a difference between a man that is in the true justifying faith concerning inherent holinesse , and a man that is out of christ , contrary to some mens conclusion , that all men are alike in their inward hearts or quali●ications ; the first place is psal ▪ 18. 19 , 20 , 21. to the 26. & psal. 26. psal. 28. psal. 131. 1 , 2. & in 2 sam. 22. very largely . see all these places , and there you may have assurance that a man may speak in his owne defence concerning his owne integrity of heart , if in case others would blast his due reputation ; provided that it bee so in deed and in truth . i speak this to stop the mouths of some wicked people , that are ready to say that there is no difference among men , viz. that all are alike now in the state of grace , excepting onely the imputative righteousnesse of christ ; yea , i have heard with my own eares to my great grief , some man say , that those that are justified have no inherent holinesse nor righteousnesse . but if this be a truth , why then did our saviour pronounce a blessednesse to those that are pure in heart ? and why did all the apostles preach sanctification to be inherently in the justified ones ? yea , if any man be in christ he is a new creature , yea , paul himselfe ( in the behalf of himself , and the residue of the apostles and brethren ) said thus , god hath revealed the hid mysteries to us his holy apostles and prophets , &c. and all the apostles calleth upon men to be ( not onely beleevers in christ , but ) sanctified throughout both in body and soule , &c. but yet notwithstanding it is imperfect in regard of degrees ; and therefore it is that the prophet concluded that all our righteousnesse were as filthy rags ; and the apostle james affirmed , that in many things we offend , &c. this point is to shew how many subjects have neglected , refused and opposed their kings commands , when those commands were unjust by gods expresse word ; yea , they did hinder their king from acting sin himself , and that by force too . my first scripture is 2 chron. 26. 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20. azariah , and fourscore valiant men withstood vzziah their king , to hinder him from sinning against god , in doing that which belonged to his subjects to be done , he being forbid by gods speciall command ; and if they had not hindred him , then they should have smarted for it as well as their king. 1 sam. 14. 45. sheweth , that the people of israel did hinder their king saul from committing a sin against one of his subjects , which he had sworn to doe , but they did resist him , and swore that jonathan should not die , ( seeing he did not deserve death : ) jonathan knew not of his fathers oath concerning that thing ; if the oath it self had been lawfull , as you may read in ver. 27. and such a one was to be pardoned by gods command , as in ezek. 45. 19. numb. 15. 27 , 28. & levit. 4 , 27. and this is noted also as a good deed of the people , in opposing their kings in these things . and in 1 sam. 20. 30 , 31 , 32 , 33. and so forth , jonathan would rescue good david from sauls ma●●cious and murderous intent , though he had sauls displeasure so farre , as to the hazarding of his own life , for this his so doing . this did good jonathan contrary to the command of his father , though the king ; and this also is recorded for his commendation . but contrariwise when the people did not hinder their kings , but joyned with them in that which was evill ; then they and their kings must smart for it too ; as you may see by the peoples joyning with their king ahaziah , against elijah the prophet , as in 2 king. 1. and so alwayes throughout the scriptures , you may observe the like punishment upon the people for seconding their governors in evill . yea , this was the very cause of the casting off of the jewes chiefly ; for they joyned with their high-priest , chiefe priests and pharisees , and the rulers of the jewes in crucifying of christ ; and therefore his blood is upon them , as well as upon their governours unto this day : do you not think it had been happy for the people of the jewes , if they had opposed their elders and governors , and kept them from slaying our saviour christ ? yes truly , it had been well for that people . and the subjects of ahab were accessory to ahabs sparing of benhad●d , and see what they were to receive of god for that sin , as in 1 king. 20. 42. they must die for it . here followeth certain scriptures shewing what was to be done to the places where the idolaters worshipped their false gods , viz. the places that were built for that purpose , and so used publickly ; and the reason rendred by god himself , viz. to take away , or destroy the name of idolatry , ( and idolaters ) out of that place , &c. neverthelesse their cities , vineyards , and dwelling houses were to stand still for their habitations , ( except those places where they publickly or usually wove hangings for their groves , &c. 2 kin. 23. 7. ) as you may see in deut. 6. 10. and chap. 19. 1. idolatry ( it seemes ) is too easily entertained into the hearts of men by small occasions ; and we have had wofull experience of it with us , in not watching to prevent it , before it was entertained into many hearts , so prevalent is this sin with the sons of men . how soon were the asian churches be-pestered with corruption in this sin , as others also , but that god out of his infinite mercy forewarned them before they were utterly faln away ; and so have we now been warned from god by many instruments which hee hath stirred up in his cause , to set us in a right way again , contrary to the expectation of the roman frogs , which have troubled us with baalzebubs sulphur . when some did wink , and closely think to leave us in their lurches ; god did provide with pen and ink , his johns to save his churches . finis . the voice of infants by infants defender . luke 9. 50. forbid him not ; for he that is not against us , is for us , is there not a cause , 1 sam. 17. 29. behold the babe wept , exod. 2. 6. and i brethren , when i came to you , came not with excellency of speech , or of wisdome , declaring to you the testimony of god , 1 cor. 2. 1. but truly i am full of power by the spirit of the lord , and of judgement , and of might to declare unto jacob his transgressions , and to israel his sins , micah 3. 8. i thank thee o father , lord of heaven and earth , because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent , and hast revealed them to babes : even so father , for so it seemed good in thy sight , matth. 11. 25. now i beseech you brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned , and avoid them ; for they that are such , serve not the lord jesus christ , but their own belly ; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple , rom. 16. 17 , 18. london , printed by r. cotes , 1647. an advertisement to the reader , for the better understanding of the subject in the ensuing discourse , as a preparative . 1. i pray you note the occasion of this discourse , it was upon a challenge to dispute the case of baptisme , at which time i found the party so weak , that i was both ashamed to observe his imbecillity , and grieved to observe people so misled ; therefore out of pity i have thought good to shew the chief heads of the discourse , though it bee not so exquisite as perhaps you all could wish it ; but i did not intend any more should see it then himself , and some few of his followers ; but perceiving the importunity of some of my acquaintance , i supposed they would cause it to bee somewhat more publike : but had my thoughts stretched so farre at first , i would have inlarged the matter , and drawn the discourse into more particulars , and more orderly , whereas now you have but the substantialls summarily , and somewhat confusedly . 2. observe , i have shewed the institution of circumcision , and that it was an outward sign or token of inward circumcision in the party to whom it was first given , he being a man , namely , abraham . 3. that his seed were to receive the same signe in their infancy , whether they had inherent holinesse , yea , or nay , as having a right to the ordinance , they being children of the faithfull , or at least children of the professors of the faith of abraham . 4. that this sign of circumcision was belonging to those that were not of abrahams naturall seed also , if they would joyn to abraham and his seed in the profession of the same faith ; and that then the children of those strangers were to receive the same signe of circumcision also , and to the same end that abraham and his seed were , untill the comming of christ , at which time the sign of faith was changed from circumcision to baptism to the beleeving jewes , or those of abrahams naturall seed , as well as to the gentiles which then did beleeve . 5. that the signe being changed from circumcision to baptisme , them , for with their mouth they shew much love , but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse . and loe , thou art unto them as a very lovely song , of one that hath a pleasant voyce , &c. ezek. 33. 31 , 32. and ●ee that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a pray , and the lord saw it , and it displeased him , &c. esay 57. 16. i will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth , that thou shalt be dumb , and shalt not bee to them a reprover , for they are a rebellious house , ezek. 3. 26. by men of other tongues and stammering lips will i speake to this people , &c. isay 28. 11. if a man walking in the spirit of falsehood doe lie , saying , i will prophesie of wine and strong drinke , even hee shall bee the prophet of this people , micah . 2. 11. oh ephraim what shall i doe unto thee ? oh judah what shall i doe unto thee ? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloude , and as the early dew it goeth away , hosea 6. 4. repent and turne your selves from all your transgressions , so iniquitie shall not bee your ruine , ezek. 18. 30. come and let us returne unto the lord , for hee hath torne , and hee will heale us ; hee hath smitten , and hee will bind us up , hosea 6. 1. turne yee , oh turne yee , for why will yee die o yee people of england ? ezek. 33. 11. let us search and try our wayes , and turne againe to the lord , let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto god in the heavens , lam. 3. 40 , 41. to the law , and to the testimony , if they speake not according to this rule , it is because there is no light in them , esay 8. 20. if any man will doe his will hee shall know the doctrine whether it bee of god , or whether i speake of my selfe , john 7. 17. when the heart shall bee turned to the lord , the vaile shall bee taken away , 2 cor. 3. 16. to him that ordereth his conversation aright , will i shew the salvation of god , psal. 50 ▪ 2● . if yee bee willing and obedient , yee shall ●ate the good of the land , but if yee bee wicked , and rebell , yee shall bee consumed with the sword , &c. esay 1. 19 , 20. finis . machine-generated and other supplemental data notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a90720e-7980 the texts a● named . question , wh●● divisions thos● were , to bee examined . the inconveniencies of divisions promised to be observed . the excellen●ie of godly u●ity . this unity is much forward●d by a uniformity . and whether we may not ar●●in it now . the hinderers of this uniformity to be ex●mined . ●t's a great tryal ●o them that ●ave once inte●essed themselves in an op●osing way , to ●eforme from 〈◊〉 , though con●inced , because ●f disgrace . motives to the ●ontrary : ●erswading ●hose that stand ●●r the presby●erians to im●●ace them &c. the text ex●mined and ●bserved . the text proper to the point intended , viz. not to forsake the assembling , &c. the chief text or illustration the doctrine ●ncluded on . the first reason to prove that such divisions are naught ; it estrangeth their affections 2 reason , it causeth an evil opinion of each other . 3 reason , it occasious civil wars . 4 we are lyable to a common enemy , &c. 5 errors will hereby be increased , &c. 6 wee shall have little restraint of evill , &c. the benefit ●●at comes by a ●●dly unitie . 〈◊〉 godly unitie 〈◊〉 affection is ●uch forwar●ed by a law●●ll uniformi●●e in divine ●rdinances . whether wee may not attain● to this uniformity in a warrantable way . the chiefe points named . the first chiefe point aimed at viz. who are the church , &c. these are without the pale of the church . what corruptions were in those that were beleevers in the apostles time . ●●om those ●remises ari●eth their sepa●ation . these were ●●ruly , and yet ●aul gave no order for sepa●ation , but to ●dmonish them ●till . the chiefe point now followeth in order , concerning the ministers of the word . &c. those that are best able , ough● to be the teachers . if a minister have honesty , & want knowledge , then he● is dangerous , hee will lead men into errors . if hee want honesty , and have knowledge , how then , what 's to be done then ? yet wee mus● not choose a novice , as in 2 tim. 3. 6. it is a punishment of god to us , when wee want fitting preachers . who ought to ●rdaine the ●reachers of ●●e gospel . the preachers ●well qualifi●d ) ought to ●rdain the mi●isters of the gospel . titus was to ordaine elders for the ministry of the gospel . the ministry of the word of god , was to be committed to those that timothy could find fit to be the teachers of the people . the reason why timothy shall ordaine &c. timothy did choose deacons also . they used to lay ha●ds on them that were ordained . some ministers were superintendents of o●hers too . some being ordained to be ministers of the gospel before they are able , do much hurt . the separatist's objection against our ministers , viz. they are of the popes order , &c. the true signe of a minister of god . where it is fittest the church of christ should dwel , or how neer to each other , viz. together . the preacher ought to live among , or very neare those he is to bee the preacher unto , &c. the peoples preachers are undone by others that draw their flocks from them . and the residue of the poore sheep must starve . the monster . the objection against a nationall church . the nation should in the more generall profession embrace the doctrine of christ . the special de●e●s that the apostles did ●eave with the churches for ●heir rule or ●uide . some cases of conscience . the government of the church is of greater weight then 〈◊〉 &c. if men may have what they list , under pretence of tender conscience , then knaves may plead for knavery . a rule to judge by in some measur● ▪ ●t is wilfulness ●ather then ●enderness of conscience . divers general precepts are so ●eft to the church for small matters . it 's fit wee should have some way to restrain those that make such confusion . whether their leaders do no● hold them in these errors o● purpose , &c. boles and basins &c. the sectaries answer , to maintaine his drawing of inhabitants to him , and leaving the rest toget●● what they can , and where . the antinomians . some hold that god is not angry ▪ the use of the ●ivill magi●●ate . compelling men to heare the word of god . ●●ages , pi●●ures , and mo●●ments an of●●nce to the ●●ctaries and ●●esbyterialls ●●c . idolatrous marriages , &c. the permitting idolaters to live with us , doth offend sectaries ; and that is no fault in them . papists are idolaters . how idolatry came into the world , as history reports . the papists call us hereticks . the popes tenets , or some of them . the popes pride . the assenden● of the popes nativity . ●●e indepen●●nts ( many of ●●em ) doe fear ●●at we shall ●●ve no lawes 〈◊〉 punish ido●●ters as god ●●●h comman●ed . the lords prayer . tit. 1. 15. of musicke . signes to shew whether party is the best in their conversations . coruptions in gods people , and especially in those that live in wealth , and at ease . davids failings . the hinderances that keep men from the ●●nouncing an opinion , ●hough convinced of it in their conscience . motives to the presbyterialls to be kinde to those that renounce the other wayes . motives to ●oth parties to perform our duties , whatsoever hap to us , ( so to speak ) viz. look to the great allurements mentioned in the word of god , and the punishment if we neglect our duty , &c. ●ereticks deny ●●at christ ●●ok flesh of ●●e virgin ●ary . ●ome hold ●●at the childe ●eriveth or re●eiveth its soul ●●om its pa●●nts . if gods people sin some capitall sin , ( especially openly ) they may smart temporally for it as long as they live here , though repented of . a man may be assured of his salvation . men ( not repenting of known sinnes ) are still left blind in matter of salvation . a man may speake in the defence of his own integrity , ●f the same be ●n him indeed , &c. accidentall ignorance pardoned . this is zan●hi●s resolution also , who was a good reformer . truths victory against heresie; all sorts comprehended under these ten mentioned: 1. papists, 2. familists, 3. arrians, 4. arminians, 5. anabaptists, 6. separatists, 7. antinomists, 8. monarchists. 9. millenarists, 10. independents. as also a description of the truth, the church of christ, her present suffering estate for a short time yet to come; and the glory that followeth at the generall resurrection. / by i.g. a faithfull lover and obeyer of the truth. imprimatur, john downame. graunt, john, of bucklersbury. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a85551 of text r200005 in the english short title catalog (thomason e277_7). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 219 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 40 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a85551 wing g1597 thomason e277_7 estc r200005 99860807 99860807 112932 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a85551) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 112932) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 46:e277[7]) truths victory against heresie; all sorts comprehended under these ten mentioned: 1. papists, 2. familists, 3. arrians, 4. arminians, 5. anabaptists, 6. separatists, 7. antinomists, 8. monarchists. 9. millenarists, 10. independents. as also a description of the truth, the church of christ, her present suffering estate for a short time yet to come; and the glory that followeth at the generall resurrection. / by i.g. a faithfull lover and obeyer of the truth. imprimatur, john downame. graunt, john, of bucklersbury. [4], 73, [1] p. printed for h.r. at the three pigeons in pauls church-yard, london, : 1645. dedication signed: john graunt. with a t.p. woodcut. annotation on thomason copy: "aprill 9th"; after i.g.: "a comfitmaker in bucklers bury". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng christian sects -england -early works to 1800. church -unity -early works to 1800. great britain -church history -17th century -early works to 1800. a85551 r200005 (thomason e277_7). civilwar no truths victory against heresie;: all sorts comprehended under these ten mentioned: 1. papists, 2. familists, 3. arrians, 4. arminians, 5. a graunt, john, of bucklersbury. 1645 41495 46 0 0 0 0 0 11 c the rate of 11 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-11 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-01 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2008-01 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion by i. g. a faithfull lover and obeyer of the truth . now i beseech you , brethren , mark them which cause divisions and offences , contrary to the doctrine which you have learned , and avoid them , rom. 16. 17. imprimatur , john downame . to the right vvorshipfull , sir benjamin rudyard , knight , one of the honourable house of commons . sir ; as formerly i have acquainted you with two small treatises , which were dedicated to his majestie and the right honorable the high court of parliament , so now i have presumed on christian affection , to dedicate this victory of truth to your religious view and meditation . the odds in the conflict was much ten to one , and every one of them being roots of a thousand branches , even so many in number , and so grosse in nature , that if i should speak all i know of them , it might seeme incredulous to your exercised and experienced judgement , and prejudicious unto many that want the like knowledge and discernment , so that for this time i thought thus briefly to disarme the leaders , that so the following multitude of the army may have premonition before the time come that all the enemies of christ shall be slaine before him , and the secrets of all manner of hearts discovered . and for my own particular , sir , finding the boldnesse and impudency of error , as well as the multiplicitie , whereby the whole citie is in every part and place infected , and from thence , as from a fountain , the countryes also , i could rest no longer silent , for as much as god of his own goodnesse and infinite mercy , hath been pleased to communicate and impart the knowledge of the mystery of his word unto me in some measure , notwithstanding my own unworthinesse and weaknesse : this truth received in my heart , hath been as a fire which i could no wayes hinder from burning into a flame , through the light whereof , by the means of your grave and prudent countenance , he that reads it may have information of the evill and error without prefigured , and within this treatise manifestly revealed ; as also the good and happinesse of truth , the old path and straight way of the lord , in some measure opened and declared ; to which all that are not of the houshold of faith are strangers , and most of them perverters . and sir , i pray of one thing take notice in the figure , that he that is most obscure in his person , is most dangerously subtill and mysterious in his doctrine ; and at this very time , in which you sit in parliament , with the whole counsell of the kingdome , he doth more hurt in one houre then in ten heretofore ; his badge is f. wherefore right wor : be pleased to take notice of the churches enemies , and let the despised and persecuted wife of christ , and her little children , have your love , helpe , and assistance . these are all that are intreated for to be granted by you , most vertuous and noble senator , to him that is your faithfull and humble servant , john graunt . truths victory against heresie . trvth . now all you heresies , new and old , that have mustered up your powers and forces against me that am the truth of god , and have drawne out your companies into regiments , and your brigades into an army of strong armed fighting cruell men , whom all this world long have plotted , devised , and waged battel against me and my generation ; and by your subtile discipline in the artillery of error , iniquity and deceit , have made your selves so skilfull and artificiall , that you have alwayes boldly and scornfully given mee many alarmes , summons , onsets , skirmishes , underminings , stormings , killings , firings , poysonings , murthering of my children and witnesses , denying us quarter , or any mercy , although we have cryed out for pity and compassion , above these four thousand yeeres . i pray you take notice therefore , that i do now , in these last dayes of the world , even now in this little time to come , that makes an end of sins , and finisheth transgressions : and which also accomplisheth my injuries and sufferings , my teares and sorrowes , my lamentation and weeping : now , i say , even in this day , in which you are so much increased , and grown so innumerable ; i challenge you all , even all your multitudes and gatherings , of what degree and condition , sect or religion , sex , age , tongue or nation soever you are of ; for that you have usurped my names and titles , my house and children , my birth , my birth-right and inheritance , my priviledges and my dignities , my honour and authority , my kingdome and throne it self : and that you all have robbed , oppressed , spoyled , reproached , belied , persecuted , beaten , wounded and killed me in my truth and innocency , at all times , and in all places with despite and scorne ; contemptuously have cast me out from amongst you , and defam'd my sincerity with heresie , my purity with iniquity , my fruitfulnesse you have call'd barrennesse , and my faithfull fervency you call hypocrisie . heresie . what strange voyce is this that wee heare , ( truth saith shee ) what is that ▪ were you made to reprove our thoughts ? we tell you , you are grievous unto us to behold , let us therefore examine her with despitefulnesse and torture , and let us condemn her with a shamefull death . truth . thus hath ever been your dealing with mee and mine from the beginning ; for your cain kill'd my childe abel , and so your ishmael mockt and persecuted isaac , my son of promise , and my lord of life was slain by your children of death , and as alwayes you have been at enmity and sworn adversaries : so from the beginning of this world , to this very day , you have had power and authority in your own hands , to work your will and pleasure against us , even the greatnesse of the pomp and glory of temporall dignity & majesty , in and by whom you have wrought your malice and implacable anger and wrath upon us ▪ the great image , consisting of the four metalls , which the prophet daniel described to be the four great powerfull monarchs which should rule and govern in this world : the golden head ; the silver breasts and arms ; the brazen belly and thighs ; the iron legs ▪ and the feet and toes , they consisted part of iron ; and part of clay , dan. 2. 31 ▪ 32 , 33 , 42. and all you my old sworn enemies , have , in and by them all , even in all and every part of this terrible and great images power and strength ; you i say again , have wrought and effected under ▪ and in a seeming bright and excellent way your own wicked spleen and indignation against me ; your father the devill exercising his false accusation and lies , his enmity and cruelty in the monarchie of the babylonians , which was the head of gold ; and after him he stirr'd up the assyrian monarchy to the self-same purpose , deciphered by the breasts and arms of silver ; and when that power grew old , weak , and so failed him , then hee stirred up the grecian monarchy , who exceeded for strength , though not for wealth , whereby my children were cruelly oppressed to their great destruction ; for as their nature , so is their operation , declared by the prophet to be a belly and thighs of brasse . and lastly , for the space of this long season ▪ neer unto the time of seventeen hundred yeers , that great and huge monarchy of the romans , our universall and mighty oppressors , have dealt very cruelly with us , even worse then all that were before them ; for their sword hath had a double edge , called force and deceit , cunning and cruelty ; and for power , worse then all that were before them : as iron is the basest for value , and hardest for strength , for it breaketh in pieces , and subdueth all things , as one of my deare sons affirmeth , dan. 2. 40. which i and mine have found by dolefull experience , all their tedious , wofull and odious raign of the iron legs , and durtie toes , how dolefull was it in the dayes of our blessed saviour ; that , that holy prophet john the baptist , that takes his name from his office , the harbenger , the forerunner , and preparer of the lords own way , that he should be killed , and our innocent lord grievously abuseded , wounded & crucified also ; and how was i and my children havocked , and cruelly destroyed and wasted presently after the resurrection and ascension of our lord in those numerous and unparalleld ten persecutions , and all wrought and prosecuted against us by those legs of iron ? all which power and authority of the legs are now gone and past , as a storme that 's over , and a tale that 's told , and as a great fire that 's quenched , excepting only the feet and toes , consisting of iron and clay , matter of two contrary natures , in them the solidness and strength of iron , and the weaknesse or bricklenesse of clay ; and yet such a powerfull enemy , whose cunning craftinesse is managed by deceit and policy , in which time iniquity hath , and doth abound under the pretence of verity ; this fourth monarchy , from the first to the last , in all the parts of it , is deciphered by a strange beast , diverse from all the beasts that were before it , dreadfull , terrible , and exceeding in the greatnesse of power and strength : it had iron teeth , saith the prophet , and they were great ones , to tear and kill by , and it devoured , saith the text , and brake in pieces , and stamped the residue with the feet of it , and it had ten horns , dan. 7. 7. heres . but let us prove if his words be true ; for what is the babylonian , assyrian , grecian , or roman monarch to us ? for we have been , and are , the spirituall seed of abraham by faith , wee are christians , who have believed , are baptized , and communicate in all the ordinances of god ; we are warranted in the scriptures for our church-discipline and government , and wee walke in a church state , and church way , in constituting our congregations , in ordaining our ministers , our pastors , our deacons and elders , widowes , eunuches , and divers holy orders ; as that of jesus , and john the baptist , mary magdalene , and abundance more orders , of men , women ▪ and angels , and all these by authoritie of scriptures , and yet will you rank us amongst the heathens , and compare us to the four ethnick monarchs long ago past ? we doubt not , but upon further discovery , to prove your self to be untruth . truth . what ever you are , whether papists , familists , arrians , arminians , anabaptists , brownists , antinomians , millinarists , or monarchists of all sorts ; and although all and every one of you , of each sort , gird and bind your selves with the new found common with of independency , yet my self and my little children , are able to prove against you all , even against the oldest and strongest of you , ( and therefore observe and take notice of it , even of the charge it self ) that so many of you that are not born of sorrow and comfort , and have not your parts in mourning , and rejoycing of water and the holy ghost , as the scripture speaketh , i tell you plainly , notwithstanding all your outward names and distinctions , your affirmed christianity , your church-way and state , your participation in the word and sacraments , your ordinations and orders , and what discipline you are of , or any kinde or manner however , except , i say , you be separated or dissevered from naturall men by the vail of regeneration : as the temple of god , the altar , and them that worship therein , were separated by a vail from the outward and common court , erected for the multitude of the house of israel , to offer and sacrifice ; yea , again , because the matter i speak of , is of such great concernment , i speak it the third time , except you are by true repentance and assurance of mercy ▪ made capable spiritually to eat christs flesh , and to drink his blood , thereby to have eternall life in you , except you be thus gracious , and made spiritually living by regeneration , gods word , i say , and the spirit of truth denominates you , reckons and accounts you all among the heathens and gentiles , rev. 11. 1 , 2. and notwithstanding all your outside and overcast christianity , the whole , wicked ; cursed , defiled and unregenerate world and you , make but one cast-away part , one flock of goats for ever to be excluded from the sheep of christ , their sweet and pleasant pastor , that flock and fold also . heres . this fellow condemnes us all ; wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits , or false coyne , he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse , yet we marvell how he can prove that we that are christians , are a part of those monarchs , whose severall times and powers are wholly expired ▪ consummated and gone ▪ truth . as i have in generall proved it already , in shewing that all the wicked party in the world make but one fort , one cursed side on the left hand : so also i prove it further by our saviour christs words to the pharisees , in his dayes , matth. 23. 35 ▪ that upon you , saith hee , may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth , from the blood of righteous abel , unto the blood of zacharias , son of barachias , whom yee slew between the temple and the altar . here our lord layes the murther of abel and zacharias to the scribes and pharisees charge ▪ although the personall actors were dead many yeers before , saying to them present , whom ye slew ; and the reason is , because all murtherers from the beginning of the world to the end thereof , make but one generation all of them , even one generation of vipers , persecutors and destroyers . secondly , as yet the whole monarch of the romans is not expired and past , but still in being ; the feet that were partly iron , and partly clay , are not wholly consumed ▪ nor the mixt matter is not yet abolished : for yet craft & policy doth prosper in wicked practices , to destroy the mighty , the people of the holy one , by standing up and opposing the prince of princes , who notwithstanding shortly shall be destroyed without hands , dan. 8. 24 , 25 , even that man of sin , that son of perdition , even that opposer and exalter of himself above all that is called god , and as god sitteth in the temple of god , whom the lord that he opposeth , shall consume with the spirit of his mouth , and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming , notwithstanding all his serpentine working , his power , his signs and lying wonders with all deceivablenesse and unrighteousness of them that perish , not yet ended , 2 tehs 2. and although this part of the image have already continued from the 406 ▪ yeers of salvation , 1238 ▪ yeers , and shall remain and live yet 22. yeers more to fill up and accomplish his determined compleat number of 1666 , rev. 13. 18. then , even then , a stone saith the truth , that was cut out without hands , smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay , and brake them to pieces together , saith the text ; and they became like chaffe of the summer threshing floors , and the wind carryed them away , that no place was found for them : and the stone that smote the image , became a greet mountain , and filled the whole earth ; of which great mountain we shall speak further in its due place , according to the prophets understanding it , dan. 2. 34 , 35. 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45. and all the false christs , and false prophets , false apostles , and false teachers , who shall privily bring in damnable heresies , deceitfull workers , matth. 24. 29. mark . 13. 22. 2 pet. 2. 1. 2 cor. 11. 13. 1 ▪ joh. 4. 1 ▪ are all denominated by the name of antichrists , as the apostle saith , 1 joh. 2. 18. little children , it is the last time ; and as you have heard that antichrist shall come ; even so now are there many antichrists , whereby wee know it is the last time : and this apostle was well acquainted with these antichrists , these teachers of errors , and calls the antichrist himself the false prophet , rev. 16. 13. and with him all his wicked clergie , and lying priests , rev. 19. 20. and as the false teachers of the synagogue of rome ; and by their cunning corrupt doctrine , have deceived multitudes , and if it were possible , would deceive even the very elect : so all false teachers , before popery was , and such as are now , and shall be after it , are of the same company , the same church , the same synagogue with them , of what sect , order , or name soever they be , as before is touched : for as rome is spiritually called babylon , which by interpretation is confusion ; so are all the congregations and churches amongst us , that are gathered , built , and covenanted by men , and according to their own invention , and the vision of their own hearts ; and so are not purchased by the same blood , gathered by the spirits power , and built by gods own hand , they are all , even all of them spiritually , as rome is , even sodom and egypt , rev. 11. 8. where also our lord was crucified , rev. 18. 24. heres . you are very plain , and exceeding round with us , take heed you be not too wise , nor over bold . truth . plainnesse and roundnesse is truths badge , or note of distinction from others ; so jacob my son , my chosen one , is said to be a a plain man , gen. 25. 27. and all my works are perfect round , that is , without any error , as david saith , hee hath made the round world , psal. 89. 11. which shewes the globe of the earth to be round ; and so saith the prophet , isa. chap. 40. 22. it is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth , that is , the round of the earth . prov. 8. 27. heres . but why do you rank us of the church of rome amongst the heresies , and new doctrines of late devised and nominated ? for wee can reckon our antiquity from the apostles , and that wee are descended from them , we have , and continue still the very forme of the church of christ and his apostles ; for we have the pope , peters successor , christs vice-gerent here on earth , and answerable to the twelve apostles , wee have twelve cardinalls , wee continue the imposition of hands , the washing the saints feet , the holy unction , auricular confession , and spirituall absolution ; we have the word and sacraments , discipline and execration , and therefore we are the church of christ , and not an antichristian church . truth . you speak like a papist , and for the maintenance of the romish church ; for the church of god , or kingdome of heaven stands not in outward observation , luke 17. 20. there's as much difference between the church of christ and the church of rome , as there is between outward shew and inward truth , and as st. paul in rom. 14. 17. sheweth us , what the church is not , so hee sheweth us what it is ; namely , righteousnesse and peace , and joy in the holy ghost , and as it followes , for hee that in these things serveth christ , is acceptable to god , and approved of men ; that is , spirituall men . a man may be in the outward place and office of the church , an apostle , as judas , an evangelist , as demas , a disciple , as simon magus , and yet not of the true church ; such men may be amongst them , and yet not of them ; as st. john speakes : and the outward forme and manner of true christian churches are not alwayes the same ; for the primitive church was as true a church before they had deacons , and ordained elders in every city or church , as it was afterwards ; and for your great ones , chief of cardinalls , except they be least in humility , the most vile in their own eyes ; for this is a paradox , a mysterie , a riddle to the world , that the lowest is the highest , the least the greatest , the humblest the most honourable ; and this is quite contrary to the fashion of your cardinalls , which our lord laies down for an eternall truth , luke 22. 25 , 26 ▪ chap. 9. 49. hee that is least among you all , the same shall be great ▪ chief , or a cardinall , as the word signifieth ▪ your pope , you say , is peters successor , in what respect , i pray , in lordship and supreme authority ? when you prove that peter ever had such jurisdiction , then you say something ▪ but till then you say nothing . the truth is , peter succeeded our lord christ in the love of the truth , and faithfull obedience of his gracious word , and in denying himself , and taking up his crosse , and suffering for the gospel , the joyfull voyce ; and so all faithfull and true christians do succeed peter , and the rest of the faithfull apostles : and this law is unrepealable , it cannot be altered , but shall stand firm to all the saints for ever ; for unto you it is given , saith the apostle , in the behalf of christ , not only to believe on him ▪ but also to suffer for his sake ▪ phil. 1. 29. and he makes it a full resolution to timothy ; yea , saith he , and all that will live godly in christ jesus , shall suffer persecution , 2 tim. 3. 12. so then those that truly succeed peter , are those , and such as succeed him in spirituall things ; as in his repentance and faith , his love to christ and his truth , and his faithfull suffering for it , even till death , 2 pet. 1. 14. and this was it , when our lord saith thus unto him , mat. 16 ▪ 17 , 18. and thou art peter , that is , thou are a living stone of my spirituall temple , blessed of my father from above to this purpose , and upon this rock will i build my church , &c. that is , the truth revealed , and given from heaven by god , assuredly received and believed by the elect , acknowledged and obeyed by the believer to salvation ; this is the spirituall house or church ▪ consisting all of living spirituall stones , christ jesus being the foundation or chief corner stone ; and the great master , workman and builder of it himself , as the scriptures testifie , 1 pet. 2. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. heb. 8. 2. of this assembly and congregation , doth our lord say , yee are the salt of the earth , yee are the light of the world , mat. 5. 13. 14. and i say unto you , that if two of you shall agree on earth , as touching any thing they shall aske , it shall be done , &c. matth. 18. 19. and to these only is the promise made , to receive the spirit of god to lead and guide them into all truth , joh. 16. 13. and again , i will pray the father , and hee shall give you another comforter , that hee may abide with you for ever , joh. 14. 16. which spirit of truth , is the great substitute and advocate that christ hath left with his church all the while of his personall absence , through whose grace and wisdome , they are they only that make use of the keys of the kingdome of heaven , according to matth. 18. 18. joh. 20. 13. therefore pope , i say unto thee , thy vicardome is blasphemy , thy keys arrogancy , thy chair heresie , thy succession vanity , thy cardinals and chief priests pharisees , thy imposition impurity , thy washings uncleanness , thy holy unction extreme pollution , thy crossings idolizings , thy confessions & absolutions abominations ; you say you are the church of christ , and that your succession is from the apostles , where hath christ and his apostles prescribed to you that trash and trumpery which you call pure & holy divinity , your breaden god , your unbloody sacrifices , your golden pardons of all rates and prizes , your pilgrimages , your purgatories , your baptizings , to convey grace , and wash away all manner of original sin , your idols , your altars , your masses , your dirges , your execrations by bell book and candle , your avie maries , and your babling prayers by numbers in an unknown tongue , your silken copes , your shaven crownes , your vowed chastitie and poverty , and a thousand more such fables and heathenish imitations of the heathens and wicked mens inventions , which now gods word by the testimony of his faithfull regenerated children of truth have for ever discovered you and your religion , to be but a filthy heap or wall of mud and dirt , whited over : a painted sepulchre , though outward to the shew and appearance of men , beautified , trim'd and adorn'd with silver , gold ▪ and all manner of rich and precious things , under the mask of the spirits ornaments , yet within , nothing but stinking noysome carrion , rottennesse , filthinesse and uncleannesse , and all your abominable worship of the heathens , that you were to maintain for a day , a moneth , a yeere , the whole amounting to two and forty moneths , that is , so many yeers of dayes , even an 1260. yeers which is the antiquity you so much brag of , & yet do not consider the older you are , the neerer your dissolution , notwithstanding your religion be made and woven of all the glorious matter of the gods of the heathenish monarchs that were before you , which were worshipped with such vain pomp , varieties of voyces , and musicall instruments , as rimmon and baal , ashtaroth and milcom , and the rest of abominations , that had priests and altars , hesaints and she-saints of their own makings , like unto you ; as also your devillish doctrines , just after the manner & matter of the heathens idols , oracles ; which vain worldly glory hath so lifted thee up with pride , that thou hast advanced thy self above the stars of god ; yet let us wait now but a few dayes , and we shall see thy glory shame , thy greatnesse contemptuousnes , thy gorgeous apparel nakedness , thy life death , thy habitation destruction ; and as you have done cruelly to others , so shall others deal cruelly with you , your name and generation shall be utterly forgotten , and your judgement shall seise on you , so that your place shall be no more found , rev. 17. 46. and you may as easily keep the sun from shining , the wind from blowing , the sea from motion , and the earth from springing , as to divert this judgement of god determined against thee ; therefore , all you that will escape her judgements , come out of her , and separate your selves from her , lest you partake of her sins , and be made partakers of her plagues , 2 cor. 6. 16. and what i say unto you , the head of sects , i say unto all the rest , come out of babylon , and submit to sion , of which universall mother , gal. 4. 26. wee shall often have occasion to describe and discover . heres . this man is not for our turn , hee is clear contrary to our doings , he upbraideth us with our offending the law , and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education . what will you call the holy church of rome to question , the pope the holy father ? who , i am sure , is not antichrist ; for the antichrist is sin , and not a man : but the pope of rome is the father of the church , holy ▪ and good , and teacheth the world the gospel of jesus christ now by images , as the prophet moses taught the jewes in gods holy law by ceremonies heretofore . truth . this man that speaketh now , is a familist , who , as he saith sin is antichrist , so hee believeth , and teacheth that righteousnesse is christ , and so turns both christ and antichrist from persons to qualities , and the whole scripture into allegories , who by cunning and crafty expressions exceeds all others in fulfilling that saying of our lord , matth. 24. 24. and there shall arise false christs , and false prophets , and this is such a false christ , and false prophet , as there is not the like in the world ; making christ a phantasie , a meere fiction , a righteousnesse of their own invention , and so they conceive of antichrist to be sin , which things of themselves are not persons , and yet they confesse and preach , that christ is the seed of the woman , and sin the seed of the serpent ; and to deceive mens understandings , sometimes they will call christ the new man , and sin the old man , or humane nature of christ ; and so in their preachings , writings , and conferences use the scripture terms and phrases ; yea , their creed , or confession of their faith runs word for word with ours , only differing thus : for they make all their articles to expresse the present time , in those things wee believe to be past , and to come ; they do acknowledge jesus of nazareth , but he to be no more christ the saviour of the world , then they are that have taken in the light , as they use to speak ; and upon this ground confesse , that every one of their illuminated ones are conceived of the holy ghost , and born of the virgin mary , suffered under pontius pilate , are crucified , dead and buried , risen from the dead the third day , and ascend into heaven , and there sit on the right hand of god the father , descend from thence , and now judge the world ; and all these things in a mysterie , a metaphor and allegory . you read , say they , of these things in the letter , 1600. yeers ago , but now they are in the newnesse of the spirit , and according to these principles expound all the scriptures , both of the old and new testament . now say they , is the wedding of cana of galilee fulfill'd in the spirit , where righteousnesse is the jesus , the union between god the father and the son , the bride and the bridegroom ; the mother of jesus , they say , is the word of truth that brings to passe this holy marriage , and the turning of water into wine , is the oldnesse turned to newnesse , flesh into spirit ; so that thereby the new man becomes co-deifi'd with god , and god again co-hominifi'd with man ; and that now christ whips out the buyers and sellers out of the temple , meaning by christ , righteousnesse , and by the buyers and sellers , sins and corruptions ; and by the temple mens bodies , expounding that text , hebr. 1. 13. sit on my right hand , till i make thine enemies thy footstool , to be meant of their holy anointed ones ; and when christ , which is righteousnes , is risen in them by regeneration , then that saying is brought to passe that is written , hos. 13. 14. 1 cor. 15. 54. death is swallowed up in victory : they say they are moses , and the children of israel , and all naturall men are egyptians , which by conversion become israelites ; and that now moses is contending with pharaoh the devill , to bring the chosen of god through the red sea , and barren , hard and desolate wildernesse into canaan the land of rest , the peace of conscience , and favour of god ; and that now god calls abraham out of vr of the chaldees , making it the land of devills , as the hebrew word signifies , to set forth to us , every unregenerate mans dark and sinfull estate naturally , and gods calling of abraham out of it , to go to a land he would give him , to signifie unto us the conversion of a sinner to god , and davids killing vriah , to signifie the quenching the spirit the apostle dehorts from , and reubens going up to his fathers bed , the weaknesses of such as are babes in christ , as st. john speaks of , calling them little children , and young men , 1 joh. 2. 12 , 13. and that in this nonage , this youth of theirs , it is with their anointed ones , as it was with christ , which signifies anointed , mat. 3. & 4. who as soon as god testified to him from heaven , saying , this is my beloved son , in whom i am well pleased ; and when he had fasted and separated himself from his naturall wayes and sinfull affections , forty dayes and forty nights , as moses was fortie dayes and fortie nights in the holy mount , where hee received the covenant of perfection in a figure . and the text saith , afterwards he was an hungred , that is , this new man hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse ; and as the text saith , the tempter came to him , the meaning is , say they , the sinfull flesh , the enemy to the spirit said to him , if thou be the son of god , command that these stones be made bread , but the new man answereth , it is written , the man christ shall live by the truth , the word of god ; then the tempter uses other means , to have him to be a self-justifier , and account of himself as the holy citie of god , & makes him to be advanced in his own thoughts , as the highest of all , as a pinacle is above the rest of the building ; and then to presume in his infancie , as if he had the experience of old age , and perfection it self , and so the holy childe answers , thou oughtst not to tempt , but to wait patiently on thy lord thy god . his third and last temptation , is the proffer of the whole world unto this young man in christ , but being now grown in strength , in righteousnesse , makes a speedy answer , get thee behind me satan , god is only to be worshipped and served , so the tempter left him , and the angels ministred unto him in all passages of service , till they brought the holy one from one degree to another to sit down at the right hand of the father , and to come to judge the world . and of this spirituall estate do they understand all the scriptures that speak of the resurrection of the body , understanding it this spirituall body , and this spirituall resurrection , and that christ is dead or alive in every man in the world , dead in the naturall or sinfull estate , and made alive , and raised in the illuminated estate ; and the terms in scripture of this present world , to be the sinfull estate , and the world to come the regenerated estate , which they call perfection , eternall life and the glory of the father , the world without end , affirming there shall be no end of the heavens , and of the earth , the whole creation , but that it shall continue for ever successively , one generation after another ; and as man comes from god , so he goes to god , in matter and time infinitely . these and a thousand grosse and blasphemous doctrines are the tenents of the familists , which are the very depths of satan , from which i wish thee to repent , if it may be by any means obtained , and learn to leave off your scorn and contempt of scripture-learning , and labour to be taught by the spirit of truth in the true meaning of gods word . heres . these doctrines which you call familists are the tenents of n. h. that is , henry nichols , who lived in germany , and writ divers small books , as the gospel of the kingdom , the prophecy of the spirit of love , the glasse of righteousnesse , and divers others ; but although he be a seducer and grosly deceived , to the overthrow of the faith of our lord jesus christ , in affirming holinesse and righteousnesse to be christ the lord ; now i am so far from his opinion , that i think jesus the prophet of nazareth , to be only man , that is , meere man , and not god and man , and to partake of the deity no more then any other naturall man doth . truth . you expresse your selfe to be an arrian ; for arrius that proud bishop , whose time was above 200. yeeres after the apostles , and did then fall from the truth of the scriptures , as they clearly set forth our blessed saviour in his divine nature as well as in his humane , and invented and broacht , divulged and published this heresie , that jesus christ was only man , and not god , which heresie backt with his authority , proved a great and cruell persecution against the faithfull and true christians , 150. yeers together , as ecclesiasticall histories , according with the plain and holy word of god , do declare , as it appeares in the first of john , compared with genesis 1. and prov. 8. 22 , 23 , 24. and john , that beloved of the lord , revelations the 9th . chapter , makes a full and plain description of the person of arrius his power , authority , and the compleat time of his persecution and false doctrine , where he deciphers his person , by the appellation and name of a star , vers. 1. thereby ▪ signifying hee was a high and great light in the church , even in the rank and course of the apostles , for so are they compared and called , rev. 12. and that this star was great in the outward office of the church , is farther intimated in these words , in saying , hee fell from heaven , that was , from the purity of the doctrine of the saints , preached and planted by christs faithfull apostles and evangelists ; and in that it is said , hee fell unto the earth , it sheweth , that as he fell from the light of the truth , so he fell into grosse corrupt hereticall darknesse , apostatizing ; and as opposite to the sincerity of the truth he formerly professed , as the cursed polluted earth is to the pure undefiled heavens ; and as it is said , to him was given the key of the bottomless pit , it shewes the permissive power that should be granted and given to him ; that as hee loved lies more then truth , so he that is the god of truth should give him up to strong delusions to believe lies ; and having in himself an adulterous evill heart , a fit receptacle for an error so abominable , doth with as great a longing desire , preach and publish it to corrupt others like himself , by all wayes ▪ and means whatsoever : as first his own thirstie deceit was not satisfied , proved in these words , vers. 2. and hee opened the bottomless pit , and there arose a smoak out of the pit , as the smoak of a great furnace , declaring hereby , the nature of their corrupt doctrines , even such as smoak , soot and filth , compared to the pure air , and wofull darknesse to the glorious sun-light ▪ the truth of god , whose shining purity was obscured and darkned , as it followes in the next words , by reason of the smoak of the pit ; and the text saith , vers. 3. and there came out of the smoak locusts upon the earth , which shewes the great successe and large increase of false doctrines , which are no sooner conceived and borne , but presently it brings forth abundantly a viperous and wicked brood , good for nothing but destruction it self , and their great power is to hurt as a scorpion , which is the most cruell and venimous of all creeping things , vers. 5. and as they are cruel , so they are cunning , crafty , and unavoidable , by which being once bit or stung , it is incurable ; of such dangerous nature was this heresie of arrius , see the cruelty , vers. 6. their power , cunning , and deceit , vers. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. the apostle also by divine inspiration , sets down the full and compleat time of this arrian persecution , saying , it shall be five moneths , that is , moneths of yeers , accounting as before , in the audit of antichrist , thirty dayes to a moneth , which multiplied by five , amounts in the totall , to one hundred and fifty yeers , prophetically reckoning a day for a yeere , as ezek. 4. 6. which heresie was grown to such a height of esteem and applause , that the then christian emperour call'd a generall councel of all the bishops in christendome , to confirm and establish this abominable false doctrine by a canon , or ecclesiasticall decree , to be an unquestionable verity : from which conclusion , not any one of the learned doctors did dissent , but only godly athanasius , who by his alone wisdome and great knowledge in the scriptures , did protest and declare against this dark and smoakie error ; and he managed and maintained the truth so clearly by the authoritie of holy writ , that as christ was perfect man , so hee was truly god , god and man , our alone saviour , through which his grave and solid arguments raised from the beginning of the evangelists , of st. john , and other holy scriptures , he gained the most of the generall councel to be of his side and judgement , whereupon they prevailed with him to make and write that famous and excellent creed , call'd after his own name , even the creed of athanasius , which then , and ever since , hath been imbraced , approved , honoured , & confessed of all christian churches , although it is now neglected , as gold in the dust , and pearles by the ignorant cock in the dunghill , and fables in comparison , even husks , preferred before the verity thereof , through the blindnesse of this present generation . heres . although the popes universall supremacie in and over all persons and causes ecclesiasticall and civill , be an error , and also heresie , to deny the humane nature of christ , as doth the familists , and as bad in arrius , to deny the divine nature of our lord and saviour , for i am of athanasius his mind , that hee was god of the substance of the father , begotten before the world were made , and man of the substance of the mother , born in the world , perfect god and perfect man ; for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man , so god and man is one christ . and also i believe and maintain , that every man naturally , hath free will to do good , as well as free will to do evill ; and that a christian mans standing in the grace and favour with god , depends upon his obedience in keeping the commandments , and that there is no more , or other certainty of salvation , then that man by his own free good will continues obedient to gods word ; so that a man may be the childe of god to day , and the childe of the devill to morrow . truth . you that did last speak , shew your self to be an arminian ; for although you confesse many truths , yet indeed you differ no more from a papist then arminius , that wicked heretike did , and in your false doctrines of free will , and falling from grace , you agree with the ancient anabaptists also ; for you all three are but one in these two errors . and , first , for your tenent of freewill , that all men naturally have as great freedome and power of will to do good , as to do evill , this is a grosse error , and directly opposite to the clear and plain scriptures , for the apostle saith , it is god that worketh in you , both to will and to do of his good pleasure , phil. 2. 13. and the truth speaks thus , 2 cor. 3. 5. not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves , but our sufficiencie is of god ; and this is the faith and confession of the whole church of god : isa. 26. 12. lord , thou wilt ordain peace for us , for thou also hast wrought all our works in us and for us . the error of free will , is a carnall opinion , and naturally men are inclined to it , and the holy apostle st. james , reproves it in his dayes , who writing to the scattered tribes , saith , you ought to say , if the lord will , and not to say as you have affirmed your faith to be , wee will go , &c. james 2. 13. 15. so that it is plain , no man of himself hath freedome of will to do good ; but there is no question but every man hath freedome of will to do evill , as saith the prophet , jerem. 4. 22. secondly , your doctrine of the uncertainty of the elects called and sanctified estate in christ by regeneration , shewes plainly you do not know what it is to be a christian indeed and truly , for if you did , you would know this truth undoubtedly , that they that trust in the lord , are as mount sion , which cannot be removed , but abideth for ever ; as testifieth the prophet , psal. 135. 1. and the apostle gives the reason of it , because the chief corner stone thereof is christ , that holy , chosen and precious one ; and whosoever he be that believeth on him , shall not be confounded , 1 pet. 2. 6. and this doctrine is that which our lord himself hath taught us , vpon this rock , saith he , i will build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it , mat. 16. 18. marke what greater contrary power can there be , then the gates of hell , and yet that , even the strength of all the powers of the devill shall not be able to do that which you affirm they shall , and the reason thereof our lord himself gives , joh. 10. 27 , 28 , 29. my sheep heare my voyce , and i know them , and they follow me , and i give unto them eternall life , and they shall never perish , neither shall any pluck them out of my hand ; my father which gave them me , is greater then all , and no man is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand : i and my father are one . and that great experienced man of the love of god , even above the rest of his fellowes , speaking of the blessed estate of the regenerated elect , 1 pet. 1. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. saith , they were elected according to the fore-knowledge of god , begotten again to a lively hope , by the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead , to a glorious undefiled inheritance , of which it is impossible we should fail of , who are kept by the power of god through faith unto salvation ; and those sweet words of our lord are of efficacy to gain the most contrary heart to the belief of this truth , joh. 17. 11. holy father , keep through thy holy name those that thou hast given mee , that they may be one as we are one . now arminius see the sure and certain estate of a regenerated christian so sure as god is sure , and unchangeable , as christ , the same yesterday , to day and for ever , eternall as the holy ghost ; even so are they that are made one with god , who truly have fellowship with the father , and with the son , jesus christ , 1 joh. 1. 3. for he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified , are all of one ; as brethren are one , heb. 2. 11. and as the tree and the branches are one , joh. 15. 5. even so is christ and the regenerated man , oh happy are the people that are in such a case ! heres . at the first i thought what we should find of you , but now i have ready a multitude of scriptures to shew to you , that which i maintain to be truth , and by them i shall discover you , i hope , to be untruth : the first place is , ezek. 18. 24. when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse , and committeth iniquity , and dyeth in them , he shall die for the iniquity he hath done ; again , our lord himself saith , every branch in me that beareth not fruit , he ( that is , god ) taketh away , that is , cutteth off from the vine , joh. 15. 2. and many of christs disciples were offended at the truth of his doctrine , and turned away , or went backe , that is , left him for ever , joh. 6. 66. others received the word gladly , and indured for a while believers , but when tribulation and persecution did arise , because of the word , they were offended , and fell away , mat. 13. 21. lake 8. 13. yea , the apostle is more particular , hebr. 6. 4 , 5 , 6. for he speaks of such as were made partakers of the holy ghost , and had tasted of the good word of god , and the powers of the world to come ; and yet notwithstanding all this , to fall away , as not to be renewed again by repentance ; yea , the same apostle sheweth farther , heb. 10. 29. that a man may be sanctified by the blood of the testament , and afterwards tread under foot the son of god , and count the same blood as an unholy thing , and despite the spirit of grace . and st. peter , 2 pet. 18. 19 , 20. speaks of some that were clean escaped from the corruptions of the world , through the knowledge of the lord and saviour jesus christ , and yet after this to be intangled and overcome again , whose latter end is worse then their beginning ; these , and many more are the ground of my doctrine . truth . and secondly , i answer , these scriptures rightly understood , make nothing at all for the maintenance of your error , but in truth it teacheth us , that we ought heedfully to observe the distinction in one and the same terme , which must be generally and really observed throughout the scriptures , which hereafter i shall more fully discover , when any of the anabaptists shall speak ; and in the mean while , i pray consider of the terms in those scriptures you have alledged , as the term faith to believe the word , the affection of joy and gladnesse in the knowledge of it , a relish and taste of the sweetnesse and goodnesse in it for the present , with some apprehension of the glorious things of the world to come , and through the operations of its working in those that received it , as that it is said , they were washed and sanctified , and yet afterwards never the better for all this , nay , worse at last then at first ; for it shall aggravate their condemnation : this shewes plainly , that the new and living way of life is set open unto all , by the generall and particular administration of the gospel , and that men by the common gifts of the spirit , may attain to many excellent graces , even beginnings to the peculiar and speciall gifts , to which whosoever attaineth , shall never fall and perish , which differing effect of the gospel is cleerly set forth unto us in the foure grounds mentioned by our lord ; the seeds-man was one and the same , and the seed it self was so also , and yet took not the same effect in all , although it was sowne and cast into them all . the high-way side were hard hearted , ignorant men , whose hearts had not earth to cover the seed , and the wicked one came and stole it away ; in the thorny and stony ground it sprung up into a blade , in the one it fail'd , because it could not take root for stones ; in the other , because the thornes choakt it ; the good ground never failed , because the seed took deep root , the hard way was broken up and ploughed , so that the seed was covered , that the fowls of the air could not find it , to steel it , the stones could not hinder the taking root downwards , for they were cast out by repentance : nor the thornes choake it in springing upwards , for the pleasures of this world , and the cares of unrighteous riches are both forsaken , so that the happy successe and prosperity of it was not hindred nor prevented , but the broken penitent heart understands , retains and keeps the word , and bringeth forth fruit with patience , luke . 8. 15. when as the other three sorts of grounds brought nothing to perfection , vers. 14. now these severall grounds , briefly shew us how all your mentioned scriptures are to be understood , even as the parable sets forth unto us the differing estate of men under the means of the gospel ; and so also doth the branch in christ that is fruitfull , which god purgeth , that it may bring forth more fruit , and the fruitlesse branch in the vine christ , which god cutteth off to be burned ; in this distinction doth the prophet ezekiel speak , calling that man righteous in the scripture you first mentioned , who was so made righteous by the common gifts of the spirit , as the three bad grounds ; and in this distinction we are to understand , that a man may become sanctified by the blood of christ , and yet afterwards tread it under foot , as judas , when he was a preacher , and yet afterwards fell to be a traitor , to kill the lord , that formerly in some respect he served , and differenc'd from other men by his holy imploiment of his apostolicall office , as hee was that took the plough by the hand , and afterwards looked back , thereby making himself uncapable of that estate in which before hee stood in , luke 9. 62. and the apostle makes this clear to the corinthians , speaking , that the gospel to some is the savour of life unto life , and to others , the savour of death unto death , 2 cor. 2. 15 , 16. not that it is so of it self , but occasionally : as the sun in the firmament , that is one and the same in it self , yet through accidents in the subject , it softens ice , and hardens clay ; so likewise is the administration of the gospel salvation to them that receive and obey it , and damnation to those that neglect and contemn it , as in prophane esaus case , and the blessednesse of jacob , both sons of isaac , the one selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage , the other seeking and striving for it with prayers and tears : so that it appeares plainly , that the scriptures rightly understood are against your erroneous opinion , and all of them affirm , that truth of god which before i have proved to you , that whosoever believeth , and is baptized shall be saved , as hereafter i shall open more at large ; for hee is the wise christian that heareth , and doth build on a rock of a deep foundation ; so that it stood still , notwithstanding the great billowes of the flouds , the huge storms of the winds and showers , when the foolish christian , the fine built house was overthrown thereby , having no foundation , and great was the fall of it , mat. 7. 25 , 27. heres . of late , through the knowledge of the scriptures , men have come to see and understand the superstition of popery , the blasphemy of familists , the grosse errors and absurdities of arrius and arminius , and that they are all seduced and deceived . but we have found a rule of truth in gods word , plainly directing us to the making matter of the church of christ , and none but such as are quallified by faith , are fit subjects for baptisme , which faith is wrought by teaching , and then baptisme or dipping admits and gives entrance unto such believers , to have communion in church-fellowship with us in all the other holy ordinances of god , which church and ordinances are not understood , but neglected and contemned of all the heretikes you have named and conferred with before , therefore we are the true church , for we professe but one lord , one faith , and one baptisme , ephes. 4. 5. truth . sir , i perceive you are an anabaptist , and therefore i shall speedily make good my late promise , and indeed , some thirty yeers since , mr. morton , a teacher of a church of the anabaptists in newgate , then his confession comprehended all the errors of the arminians which now of late , many that go under your name , in and about london dissent from , as it seems you do . and therefore in answer to you i say , that the terme baptisme in scriptures ( as well as faith and lord ) hath divers significations , sometimes to signifie sufferings , as matth. 22. at other times outward baptisme , as john baptizing our saviour , a holy subject , mat. 3. 16. and simon also believed , and was baptized , acts 8. 13. which was an evill unregenerate man , and yet admitted , and continued in the common fellowship of the church with philip ; so also by baptisme we are to understand inward baptisme ; sometimes repentance , and sometimes remission of sins , for so faith the baptist himself , matth. 3. 11. i baptize you with water unto repentance , by which indeed he wrought repentance in them , but he that comes after me , &c. he shall baptize you with the holy ghost , and with fire , that is , hee should pardon the penitent ; which two speciall administrations are the two parts of regeneration , according to that in luke 24. 47. that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of christ ; so likewise by baptisme we are to understand both the parts of regeneration together , where the apostle saith , as many of you as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ , gal. 3. 27. and in this sense it is called the laver of regeneration , or the washing of regeneration , tit. 2. 5. these differing significations , being plain , i marvelled to find some of your company to maintain the contrary , of purpose , i suppose , to avoid the distinction , that so clearly discovers your error . you affirm you have found a rule in the scriptures , plainly directing how the matter of the church is made , and that is , say you , by teaching and baptizing , and yet you , not distinguishing of either , say nothing truly in neither or both ; for a man may be taught and baptized , and thereby be made a disciple in the outward profession of the truth , as the high-way , stony and thorny ground , as simon magus , demas , hymineus , philetus , ananias and saphira , the incestuous person in the church of corinth , and such , whose belly was their god , in the church of philippi , who notwithstanding , they were all taught and baptized , yet not any one of them any part or portion of the church of christ , against which the gates of hell shall not prevail , therefore the ground and foundation of your church is sand , and that will fail you , and it is very false and contrary to the matter of the true church : for the scripture saith , though israel be as numerous as the sand of the sea , yet but a remnant shall repent and be saved , rom. 9. 27. and yet they are called the people of god , isa. 10. 22 , 23. and so all taught , and all circumcised ; and the same distinction the scriptures make of baptisme , the very same is said of circumcision , for the self-same operation that circumcision had in the church of the jewes , outward carnally in the flesh , and inward spiritually in the heart , of the same distinction and operation is baptisme in the christian church , the washing with water , or dipping in water , is the doing away the filth of the flesh , which saveth not ; for this a man may have and perish , as those disciples that fell away from christ , and walked no more with him , joh. 6. 66. but the washing or baptisme that saveth , 1 pet. 3. 21. is the answer of a good conscience unto god by the resurrection of jesus christ , not the washing of the flesh , but the purifying of the heart by faith ; and this spirituall baptisme or washing it is that works that full assurance of faith ; having our hearts strinkled from an evill conscience by the blood of christ , and our bodies washed with pure water , heb. 10. 22. that water that christ giveth his disciples , joh. 4. 14. and washeth his apostles with , john 13. and this is that which maketh the truly faithfull jew by vertue of the circumcision of the heart , and the truly faithfull christian by vertue of the baptisme of the heart all one , as the holy apostle saith , and that god did beare witnesse with him also to the truth of it , that there is no difference between us and them , that is , us jewes , and them gentiles , purifying their hearts by faith , acts 15. 8 , 9. and the scriptures shew , that the jewes did well know , that when the messiah should come , that then baptisme or washing should be the distinction of christians from others ; as circumcision by gods own ordinance was the distinction the jewes had from all the people of the whole world : and therefore it is written , that when the jewes sent priests and levites of the pharisees from jerusalem to john the baptist , to bethabara beyond jordan , where john was baptizing , the messengers askt him whether he were the christ , or elias , or the prophet , and upon his answer , no , that he was not , they then asked him why hee did baptize then , hereby cleerly shewing , that they understood by the scriptures , that when elias , messiah , and the prophet foretold of should come , that then baptisme should be in use in the church , and accordingly it was so practised by john the baptist , christ and his apostles , and ever since continued , and of the very same use to christians , both outwardly and inwardly , as circumcision was to the jewes . and the apostle to the church of colosse , useth both the terms , baptisme and circumcision , to set forth and teach unto us , one and the same thing in jesus christ , col. 2. 10 , 11 , 12. you are compleat , saith he , in christ , which is the head of all principalities and power , in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands , in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh , by the circumcision of christ , buried with him in baptisme , wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of god , &c. mark now friend , anabaptist , the truth of this doctrine of the cleer distinction the holy ghost makes of baptisme and circumcision , and in both double and two-fold ; as in circumcision , the one outward , the other inward ; so in baptisme , both in the flesh , and both in the heart , both made by hands , and both without hands ; a man may partake of both in one distinction , and perish , but whosoever doth receive one or both , in the speciall sense , hee shall be saved : and as the terms in the meaning do agree , so they do both agree in their administration ; for as abraham received the sign of circumcision , a seal or signe of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had before be was circumcised in the flesh , rom. 4. 11. so the regenerate and faithfull servants of god , nathaniel , in whom was no guile , the eunuch , lydia , and cornelius , of whom the holy ghost bears witnesse that they were true worshipers of god , these all , as abraham , had the inward baptisme of the blood of christ through faith , in the promise , before they received the outward baptisme , the washing their bodies with water , a lively representation of the washing their hearts by the blood of the lamb christ . and for the generall use of baptisme , as in the jewes church , all that believed the law of god were to be circumcised , and so admitted into the congregation and communion of all the holy ordinances of gods worship and service : so now , who ever believes that christ is come in the flesh , and acknowledgeth the glad tidings of the gospel , the ministery and doctrine of christ and his apostles to be the truth , they upon this generall or historicall faith , ought to be baptized , and to be admitted to communion in the word and sacraments , as simon magus , demas , the faulty christians in the church of corinth , and a thousand more had , as the scriptures shew ; so that now you see gods word forces you to distinguish of baptisme , and so also of the terme faith , and the name lord , and yet but one baptisme , one faith , and one lord to salvation . now the scriptures plainly set forth unto us a three-fold faith , which may be truly distinguished by these termes , historicall , miraculous , or justifying faith , and all these a full assurance , and are to be believed with all the heart ; of the two first sorts , wicked men , devils , may partake of them as well as the saints , yea , sometimes exceed therein : for judas wrought miracles among the twelve , but john the baptist did no miracle , saith the text ; so many are called to believe the truth , to work in the vineyard , but few are chosen unto salvation and rewarded with eternall life , that is the speciall peculiar faith , joh. 7. 38. that whosoever believeth shall not perish , but have eternall life . and there is a great deal of difference between him that by faith eateth christs flesh , and drinketh his blood to eternall life , joh. 6. 54. and their faith by which they are baptized , preach and communicate in the other ordinances , and boldly pray and call upon the name of christ , and yet notwithstanding are not acknowledged by him , but shut out and excluded from eternall life , and assign'd and sentenced to everlasting destruction , and to be rewarded as the workers of iniquity , mat. 7. 22 , 23. now , considering how cleare the scriptures are in distinguishing between faith and faith , i did admire ( when i was in company with you ) to see you all so earnest , as in baptisme , so in faith , to maintaine but one sort under either term , wherefore i would here make the severall definitions of faith , thereby to make the distinctions the more clear , but that i shall do hereafter , when i come to speak of the antinomians mistakes in these things also ; and i much marvell at your ignorance in scripture distinctions , for as much as you all professe you read them much , in which , except you distinguish rightly , you can understand no truth cleerly nor fully ; for the letter of the scriptures are but the body or corps , but it is the intention and meaning of the holy ghost , by the words of the text , which is the spirit and life of them , therefore it doth behove us , and stands us in hand to take heed we do not mistake the meaning of gods word , nor to give any other sense or exposition then that which is its own , lest we be found such as fight against the scriptures , and by false and lying interpretations , violate gods law , and wage war to kill and slay the two witnesses , the old and new testaments , the lamps and light of truth , rev. 11. 7 , 8. let us take heed of this , brethren , for the judgement against this sin is written and revealed already ( to adde or diminish from the word of god ) to be a heavie , inevitable , dismall , cursed sentence , deut. 4. 2. prov. 30. 6. rev. 22. 18. and if you had considered the scriptures concerning the name of god , and lord , you should have found even the apostle himselfe to expound to the church of corinth , what he meant by his speaking or writing to the church of ephesus , one lord , &c. for hee saith , there be many lords and many gods , so call'd , both in heaven and earth , but to us , saith he , there is but one god the father , of whom are all things , and wee in him , and one lord jesus christ , by whom are all things , and wee by him , 1 cor. 8. 5 , 6. there is but one such a father , and lord , and holy spirit , who is the giver , the purchaser and worker of the grace by which we are called , in the same one hope of our holy calling , eph. 4. 4. but in other respects , the heathens idols , and the gentiles gracious lords are called god and lord , for so did the gentiles speak of herod , deifying him with a shout , saying , the voyce of god , and not of man ; and christian emperors , kings , states , and potentates , in regard of authority and jurisdiction , are called lords , and gods , in which they do represent god ; i have said you are gods , saith the scripture , but you shall die like men . heres . but wee have a plain word for our teaching and baptizing , matth. 28. 19. but you baptize infants , for which you haue no word for , and therefore it will be said at last , who hath required these things at your hands ? for indeed you do but continue the mark of the beast in all your babies baptizings . truth . whereas you say christs words in the last of matthew , proves your preaching and baptizing , you say more then you can make good , or that i can believe from that scripture ; and although there be no expresse words in the scripture for the baptizing of infants , yet there is as sufficient warrant for it as for most things you practise your selves ; for what plain word have you for the time of publike assembling , or generall meetings ? what word have you for your people to ordain their minister ? what command doth authorize you your self to baptize ? what word have you when to receive the lords supper , when to administer it , and where ▪ who to provide the bread and wine , and what bread , and of what grain ; and the wine of what grape ? you have not a word for women to receive the sacrament , and abundance other particulars practised by you ? will you therefore say , you do that which you sin in doing ; so as you say we do , i think not . the truth is , we need not a word , for there are generall rules in the scriptures , that include particular practices , and divers things under the gospel , being of the same nature under the law , the rules given under the law , serve under the gospel ; so the apostle proves to the church of corinth from the law of moses , deut. 25. 4. that ministers of the gospel should have maintenance , that as they which minister about holy things , live of the things of the temple , and they which wait at the altar , are partakers of the altar , even so hath the lord ordained , that they that preach the gospel , should live of the gospel , 1 cor. 9. 13 , 14. compared with deut. 18. 1. so we may truly say , it is ordained , that as the children of believers before christ , both jewes and proselytes , were to be circumcised , gen. 17. 11 , 12. exod. 12. 48 , 49. so believers and their children , since christ , are to be baptized , as st. peter speaketh , the promise is to you and to your children , and to all that are a far of , even as many as the lord our god shall call . i beseech you observe this place , st. peter here spake to the jews , the men of judah and jerusalem , vers. 14. yee men of israel , hear these words , saith he , vers. 22. so preacheth to them , that jesus was the saviour of the world , whom yee have taken by wicked hands , and have killed , and being dead , was buried , who was raised again , and now sits at the right hand of the father , and is made the lord and christ , the alone saviour of the world , and they that gladly receive this doctrine of salvation by christ were baptized , vers. 41. who before had been circumcised . now , as the promise did onely belong to abraham , and his spirituall seed , and yet all his naturall children , and the children of believing strangers , were to communicate of circumcision , which was the outward signe of the covenant of the righteousnesse by faith , as before is proved : so likewise under the gospel , the same covenant of life and salvation is made only to gods chosen faithfull regenerated servants , and their spirituall seed ; yet the naturall children of these faithfull christians , may partake of the outward baptisme , which is the outward signification of the baptisme of the heart , as circumcision in the flesh was a signe of the circumcision of the heart , and according to this rule , the place before mentioned , and divers other scriptures speak , as acts 16. 15. that lydia and her houshold was baptized ; so the jailor was baptized , and all his , that is , his houshold ; and the apostle paul baptized the houshold of stephanus , 1 cor. 1. 16. and our lord jesus laid his hands on little children , and blessed them , and rebuked his disciples for forbidding them to come , luke 18. 16. and the apostle is cleer in the resolution of this question to the church of corinth , 1 cor. 7. 14. saith he , the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife , and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband , else were your children unclean , but now are they holy , that is , in respect they have right unto the outward covenant , being born of one that believeth . but some of you anabaptists would have these words , holy and unclean , to mean bastards , or unlawfully born , which is such an exposition , as was never heard nor read of before ; and this exposition admits of much absurdity , for it nullifies the law of marriage amongst the heathens , who have as certain rules for marriage , according to their manner and custome , as christians have , for the scripture prescribes no form . secondly , this exposition makes abraham himself , and most of the patriarchs wives to be bastards ; for they were the children of heathens by father and mother , as holy sarah , rebecca , rachel , and josephs wife the mother of ephraim and manasses a bastard , and that holy and great prophet , moses , took a bastard to his wife ; for zipporah was an idolaters daughter , her father being a priest of midian , exod. 2. 16. but this conceit is so ridiculous , that it strangles it self in the birth . and to return to our argument , the apostle doth understand these terms not of bastardy , but of fellowship and communion in the ordinances of gods worship , act. 10. 28. wherefore i demand upon these premisses , what ground you have to deny believers children baptisme under the gospel , seeing it is proved to be the same thing , that by gods command believers children were to partake of under the law . take heed you do not deny them that which gods word allowes . and for the mark of the beast , when you can shew mee by scripture what it is , then i will prove to you , that it is not the baptizing of the infants of believing parents . and for you to make outward baptisme and common or historicall faith to be the matter of your church , you do no lesse then tell me plainly , you do not know what the church of christ is ; wherefore repent and turn from your errors . heres . all these that you have made answer to already , are either idolatrous , blasphemous , superstitious , ridiculous , or erroneous , but we are such as have separated our selves from the wicked in the world , and wee have joyned our selves in church-covenant , and church-fellowship , and have set up the ordinances of christ , in the purity of them , wee have cast off all the abominations of antichrist , in his superstitious ordinations , ceremonies and false doctrines of all sorts ; our congregations call and ordain our pastors & elders , and so we walk according to the rule that christ hath left in his church , untill his coming ; and we admit none to have communion with us , but such as are visible saints , and can give an account of their conversion . truth . your position is fram'd like theirs that are commonly known by the name of brownists , or separatists ; and it consists of two parts : first , that you are in church-covenant , and walk in church-fellowship , in the injoyment of christs ordinances , as you say ; and secondly , that you separate your selves from all other congregations : this is the summe of your speech , by which you do manifest to mee such a strange voyce , as doth not agree with the expression of gods word ; for your words are in terms of your own acts and doings , favouring carnally of humanity , whereas holy writ speaks of the church of christ in a spirituall sense , that is , a spirituall building , a house , a temple not gathered , joyned and builded by men , but by god himself , the whole matter of his church , every stone thereof being made living stones by regeneration ; as st. peter speaks , 1 pet. 2. 2 , 4. which are built up together , saith he , a spirituall house , a holy priesthood , to offer up spirituall sacrifices ; so that as themselves are spirituall , so is their worship and sacrifice , offered up unto god ; and this was the matter of gods church alwayes : for when the prophets came to build and plant gods church , they call to the people , to repent and turn to god , jer. 1. to chap. 4. 1. which is the first part of our regeneration ; and thus they cry for it , break up the fallow ground of your hearts , circumcise your selves to the lord , wash you , make you clean , &c. isa. 1. 16. jer. 4. 4. the place of gods rest and habitation , is a poore and contrite spirit ; in vain are all the houses that are built for god , but this that hee builds himself , isa. 66. 1 , 2. and as this was the prophets way to build gods church , so even after the same manner did john the baptist , he came in the power and spirit of elias , to turn men to god , the disobedient to the wisdome of the just , luk. 1. 17. so prepared he the lords way by the ministery of water or repentance , the preparation or first principle humbling the lofty , bending the crooked streight , and breaking the hard hearted ; and our lord himself , he works and builds his church after the same manner , and with the same matter , repent , saith he , for the kingdome of heaven is at hand , mat. 4. 17. and except a man be born again , hee cannot see the kingdome of god , joh. 3. 3. and except yee repent , yee shall all perish ; and accordingly is his command to all that hee sends into this work , that they should preach in his name , repentance , and remission of sins , luke 24. 47. the one ministration bruises & breaks , the other binds up and heals ; the one baptisme prepares , the other sanctifies ; the one makes poor , the other enriches ; the one makes naked , the other cloaths ; the one discovers our folly , the other indues us with wisdome ; through the one wee are made mourners , through the other we are comforted and made to rejoyce with joy unspeakable , and full of glory ; and by this laver of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost , tit. 3. 5. wee are washed clean , and made of sinners saints ; of naturall dead men , living men ; and this is gods building , whose matter is gold , and silver , and precious stones . now as the true builders build gods church , so there are false builders likewise , which build too , and they call their workmanship a church also , but the materials of their building is but hay , wood and stubble , the morter they daub withall is untempered morter , they seduce my people , saith the lord , ezek. 13 , 10 , 11 , &c. the false prophets matter with which they build , is compounded of vanity , and lying visions , chap. 22. 28. they have brick made of earth and straw in stead of stone , and slime in stead of morter , and so they build the tower of babell , the synagogue of confusion , gen. 11. 3. these builders take upon them to heal the wounds and breaches like gods builders , but it is to no purpose ; for they heal the bruise or breach of my people , saith the lord , sleightly , saying , peace when there is no peace , jer. 6. 14. and yet such a high esteem and opinion have they of their spirituall building , as they call it , that they contemn the truly spirituall matter , that christ and the apostles build with ; and therefore it is said , the builders refused jesus christ , which is the very foundation that the true builders work with , and build upon , yea , the false builders reject him , psal. 118. 22. they set him at nought , and disallow of him , mat. 21. 24 ▪ acts 4. 11. 1 pet. 2. 7. and if they do thus despise and so basely account of jesus christ , which is the chief corner stone of his own church , what a kinde or manner of church is that which these builders build of themselves , as they say ? and notwithstanding my lord and foundation , my rock and preservation be not regarded of such carnall builders , yet hee is chosen of god and precious ; and hee himself makes all his faithfull apostles , prophets , and evangelists , pastors and teachers , wise master-workmen , or builders for the gathering and perfecting his saints for the work of the ministery , for the building or edifying the body of christ , ephes. 4. 11 , 12. 1 cor. 3. 10. for as the spirit of god by the ministery of his servants prepares and sanctifies them , so he unites and cements them to have communion one with another in spirituall fellowship : and this workmanship in the lord , is called in gods word , the church of christ , his house , his tabernacle , his body , his spouse , his temple , the pillar and ground of truth , the place of his dwelling , purchased , cleansed , purified and sanctified by his own precious blood , called and gathered by the power of his word , made to live by the spirit of his mouth , having communion and fellowship by the holy ghost , growing up together in holinesse , as branches in one stock or root , being members of one and the same body , of which christ is head , as truly and really in a spirituall sense , as the head of a man is naturally the head of the whole body , confisting of many members . now notwithstanding all this that hath been said of the true church , and ten times more that might be spoke , yet these false-ignorant , carnall and fleshly builders , those dirt-daubers , have at all times taken upon them with all boldnesse , without any blushing , to affirm their wooden , dirty , filthy building , to be gods house , and their rotten straw and stubble to be the work and building of christ , boasting and crying out of themselves , by way of self-justifying , the temple of the lord , the temple of the lord , jer. 7. 4. where , to their eternall reproof , the prophet to their very faces , saith plainly , notwithstanding all their vain confidence , the temple of the lord , are these such as truly amend their wayes and their doings ; such as truly and throughly execute judgement between man and his neighbour ; such as oppresse not strangers , nor the fatherlesse , nor widow , nor shed innocent blood , nor walk after other gods ? vers. 5. & 6. and as these false christians , robbers and oppressors take upon them my names and titles ; so also , they assume my authority and peculiar priviledges , to excommunicate mee , and cast me out with these holy words in their mouths , let the lord be glorified , isa. 56. 5. but he shall appeare to my joy , and then they shall be ashamed , this hath been alwayes the bitter cup they have made mee and mine to drink in anger and great cruelty , but patience hath ever assisted us , and enabled us to indure a thousand such injuries : they say i am a widow , desolate and forsaken , and lay the contempt of barrennesse upon mee , but that word of life supports us , in patience possesse your souls ; and again , rejoyce thou barren that bearest not , break forth into singing thou that travellest not , for the desolate hath many more children then shee that hath an husband , gal. 4. 27. isa. 54. 1. now what have you said more for your church and members thereof , then the papists can say for themselves , or any other antichristian congregation , you call your members to an account of their conversion , as you call it ; so much the scribes and pharisees can say , which compassed sea and land to make a proselyte , and in so doing , made him more the childe of the devill then he was before , mat. 23. 15. even worse by two degrees , a wofull act to return , and not to return to mee , saith the lord , hos. 7. 16. jer. 4. 1. again , you say of your selves , you have joyn'd your selves in church-covenant and you have set up christs ordinances , and you have cast away all superstition and abomination , whereas the saints and church of god ascribe all to him , thou hast washed us , thou hast called us , thou hast sanctified us , thou hast made us unto our god kings and priests , &c. and for your covenant it is a meere humane invention , and your people ordaining their ministers both of the same nature of popish unwritten verities , which as they are not to be found in the scriptures , so labour to forget to practise , preach , or think of them any more for ever . heres . you esteem too meanly of us and our doctrine ; what ? will you dare to speak against the church of christ ? take heed what you do ; for wee walk in a church-way , and communicate in the purity of all gods ordinances , as preaching , praying , fasting , baptisme , breaking bread , and the like ; and we have separated our selves from all mens inventions , and unlawfull antichristian assemblies . truth . you know there are such as say , and do not ; the whore of rome doth make greater brags , then the virgin spouse , and so did their predecessors before them , the pharisees , yet all of both their bostings are but false and counterfeit , compared with the prayers , tears , fastings , communicatings , sacrifices , oblations , and worships of the saints . and for your separation from other christians , look to it , for except it be with such caution , which i perceive you know not of , it may prove as achans forbidden wedge of gold and babylonish garment , destruction to your selves ; for the pharisees who justified themselves , and condemned others , were your fore-teachers in this manner of separation ; for they separated from christ , and john the baptist , calling our lord a sinner , and his servant a devill , accounting them , nor any one of those penitent humble little ones , whom they had converted to the truth , worthy their company : witnesse the pharises exception against that holy woman , whose tears and love testifies to the truth , where , and in what nation the gospell is preached to the worlds end , for a memoriall of her , mark . 14. 9. compared with luke 7. 39. and this way of separation , the prophet from gods own mouth , calls an evill and wicked way to walk in , isa. 65. 25. which people say , stand by thy self , come not neer to me , for i am holier then thou , these , saith the lord , are a smoak in my nose , a fire that burneth all the day ; for the truth is , in no case are trut believers to separate from other christians in communion , but in such cases that they cannot communicate with them but they must sin with them , as it was with that apostate and idolatrous church of rome , who made such wicked and opposite lawes to the truth , that a true christian could not partake with them in any of the ordinances of god , but hee must be defiled with their abominations , one way or other ; for , they caused the earth , and them that dwell therein , to worship the beast , rev. 13. 12. whom whosoever doth worship , shall never have rest , but shall be tormented with the wrath of god day and night for evermore , rev. 14. 10. 11. in such cases as these the scripture is cleare , come out of her my people , lest you partake of her sins , and be made partakers of her plagues , 2 cor. 6. 17. rev. 18. 4. and in this case did the church of england separate from the church of rome , in which church of england you now are in , whose lawes , decrees , and ordinances are all against the abominations , errors and superstitions of babylon , and all ordered and directed according to the rule of gods word , by expresse words , or necessary consequence ; and therefore your separation from us is groundlesse , and not warranted in the scriptures : for consider how the rule of truth would direct you , and observe how it was with those that were effectually called by the ministery of john baptist , and our lord himself , and truly converted unto god from amongst the jews , in such times , when those in the outward state of the church were most corrupt ; for , they preached for doctrine the commandments of men , nor would not receive the truth themselves , nor suffer such as would receive it , against which doctrine our lord exhorts his hearers to take heed , and beware of the leven of the pharisees , but never taught the disciples to separate from the church of the jewes , nor to enter into a formed covenant among themselves , as you do , but on the contrarary , hee commanded them to continue hearers and doers ; the scribes and pharisees sit in moses chair or seat , whatsoever they bid you observe , that observe and do , &c. mat. 23. 2 , 3. and himself , as his disciples , continued still repairing to the temple and synagogue , and participated in the service and publike worship of god , making no separation ; for when our lord gave his account to the high priest of his disciples and doctrine , joh. 18. 19 , 20. he saith , i ever taught in the synagogue , and in the temple , whither the jewes alwayes resort , and in secret have i said nothing . and for the apostles practice in many churches mentioned in the acts , both in judea , and among the gentiles , therein is no separation in your sense spoken of , although many things were reprovable , and admonished against , both in doctrine and practice ; the truth is , the good seed in the field , are the saints , the church of christ , the tares the wicked , but both must grow together in the same field , till the harvest , matth. 13. 30. as the lilly growes amongst the thornes , so the chaffe lies in the same floor with the wheat , the goats feed in the same pasture with the sheep , and the crafty wolves among the harmlesse lambs , and cannot be separated till our lord comes to judge and part them , never again to participate afterwards together . heres . i pray heare mee , all those that have already spoke are old , like their doctrine ; and it is high time their errors should be thus discovered : but i pray take notice of mee , for i have received a new cleare light of heavenly doctrine , a light of free grace and justification in and by christ from all eternity ; so that the elect cannot properly be said at any time to be unrighteous , ungodly , or unholy : for they are justified before they beleeve , even before the foundations of the world , even then when god elected them . truth . free grace rightly understood , as the scriptures declare it , is a heavenly and comfortable doctrine ; but me thinkes by your confession you should be an antinomian , who speake very much of free grace , but doe not at all understand it : for they say , the free grace of god towards his elect that are justified before the world was , is like unto the sun-beames in the morning when she rises , that enlightens the dark earth , in which there is no preparation to the enlightning ; so the lord shines into the hearts of his elected justified ones in the very time of their wickedest workes of darknesse : and then in the midst of their sinnes , as in the very acts of adultery and murther , even then god lifts up the light of his countenance upon them , and gives them peace , the effect of their justification with god from all eternity : these slight and contemne repentance , and call it a worke of the law ; and the preparation to justifying faith , they call a munkish popish doctrine : and their own fancie , or presumptuous conceit they call that justifying faith , or free grace , by which , say they , the justified before god , come to understand and know their justification from all eternity . oh what a grosse seducement and delusion is this , even a generall mistake of the whole gospel in every part of it ! therefore now i will first shew you what free grace is , which the scripture sets forth to us ; and then shew you how clearly and fully gods word declares the justifying the elect by faith in jesus christ . now this is a written and a certain truth , that god loves his israel , his chosen , freely , hosea 14. 4 , 5 , 6. i will heale their back-slidings , saith the lord , i will love them freely , for mine anger is turned away from him . i will be as the dew unto israel , he shall grow as the lilly , and cast forth his root as lebanon . also it is written , ezek. 16. 6. when i saw thee polluted in thy own blood , i said unto thee , live ; when thou wast in thy blood , live : yea , i said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood , live , and have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field . observe how abundantly the free grace of god is manifested to his elect , that of themselves are quite contrary to deserving : for they are polluted with the most abominable pollution , and that is with blood , and not a little , but extreamly in the third degree , blood three times repeated by the holy ghost . and that this threefold uncleannesse should bee washed and made pure , and that this exceeding deadnesse should be made to live , and so to live as the bud of the field , to multiply and increase , and bring forth fruit unto god and man , even holy grapes to refresh the hearts of both ; this shewes the wonderfull freenesse of gods grace , so to love as there is none like it , nor to be compared to it . now because you have spoken of this free grace in a fancy , i shall endevour to shew it you in reality . and that we may know the things that are freely given us of god , 1 cor. 2. 12. that is , of his own will , free grace , and goodnesse , and eternall love ; let us consider it in these foure particulars , which onely and alone are peculiar to the saints and church of god , that is , their election and predestination before all times , their effectuall calling and justification in time , and their eternal glorification for ever in the world to come ; which world shall be endlesse , deathlesse , and sinlesse for evermore . and all these in all the causes , the free grace of god : and therefore it is said by s. peter , that the saints and church of god , are elect according to the foreknowledg of god the father , 1 pet. 1. 2. and s. paul saith , according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world , ephes. 1. 4. and the apostle to the church of thessalonica testifies , that god had from the beginning chosen them to salvation , 2 thess. 2. 13. so then it is cleare , that the electare chosen in christ to salvation : which secret purpose and foreknowledge of god towards his elect before all time , is made good and effected in and upon his elect in all times , being called thereunto by the gospel , vers. 15. now the gospel , as i touched before , consists of two parts , repentance and remission of sinnes , luke 24. 47. which comprehends the two next particulars , our effectuall calling by the work of repentance , and whose sinnes whosoever is remitted , that soule is justified in the apostles meaning , and both these effected by the gospel and covenant of life , and therefore called in scripture , the grace of god , the grace of our lord jesus christ , the gospel of the grace of god , acts 20. 24. the word of his grace , verse 32. the word speaking peace by jesus christ , acts 1. the word of the gospel , acts 15. 7. and these two effects which the spirit of god works by his word in his elect to life and salvation , are called in scripture , regeneration , conversion , a renewing , a birth from above , a new making , and such like , not in a naturall but a spirituall sense ; not as the first birth of our parents , which procreated and produced us out of their bowels , but by way of similitude and likenesse , that as by nature we are born carnall , unclean , and children of wrath ; so by this spirituall birth we are born of god from above , holy , spirituall , free , even the sons of god , as the scripture saith ; for , as that which is of the flesh is flesh , so that which is of the spirit is spirit . now , as by adam came the offence , and by moses came the law , through which the offence abounded , rom. 5. 19 , 20. to mans greater misery ; so grace and truth came by jesus christ , joh. 1. 17. adam was the authour of sin to his posteritie ; moses was the minister of the law that condemned that sin ; but the grace and mercy of god , the means of salvation , both from sin and death , that is only by jesus christ , blessed for ever . now the manner and order the holy ghost taketh in working this grace in the hearts of gods elect , is plainly laid down in scripture , for him , that is , christ , saith st. peter , with the rest of the apostles , hath god exalted with his right hand to be a prince , and a saviour , to give repentance to israel , and forgivenesse of sins , act. 5. 31. and these two parts of the gospel , which is the free grace of god to man-kinde , are plainly and generally observed and preached by all the prophets and apostles , and our lord himself ; i will take from you , saith the lord , your stony heart , and give you a heart of flesh ; there 's the first part , and in that new heart that i shall give you , saith the lord , i will write my law , that is , his statute , and love , mercy , and forgivenesse , even a new and holy spirit , and that 's the second part of the gospel , ezek. 11. 19. chap. 26. 36. the baptisme of john , that 's the first , and the baptisme of christ , that 's the second part , and both parts our lord joynes together , joh. 3. 3. except a man be born again of water and the spirit , hee cannot see the kingdome of god , neither to mourn with the bridegrooms friends , nor rejoyce with the bridegroom himself ; and for as much as these making parts of a christian are not of our selves , but both the gifts of god , it doth abundantly set forth unto us this excellent doctrine of gods free grace , as the apostle st. james saith , who of his own will begat us with the word of trub , jam. 1. 18. and the grace of god , saith holy titus , that bringeth salvation , hath appeared unto all men , and teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lnsts , &c. tit. 2. 11 , 12. yea , it is gods free grace and abundant compassionate goodnesse , to finde out this new and living way to happinesse through christ jesus ; for hee himself is the way , the truth and the life , and god so loved the world , that hee gave his son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have eternall life , joh. 3. 16. and none can so believe , but hee that is regenerate , john 1. 12 , 13. and the lord is the spirituall bread , that every one must eat of that shall be saved , but none can so eat his flesh , and drink his blood , but by faith ; and none can believe , but to whom it is given , and it is given to comfort none , but to the broken hearted , and none are made penitent and humble , thirsting and desiring christians , but to such as god gives repentance ; for this is the nature and method of this free grace of god , which the scriptures set forth to us , even that free grace that christ gives to him that is athirst , freely to drink of , rev. 21. 7. hee gives the thirst , and hee freely gives the water of life , that so quenches , that whosoever drinketh , shall never thirst again , joh. 7. 37 , 38. and the lord saith , come and drink ; but this coming is by repentance , and this drinking is by faith , whosoever ( saith the lord ) believeth in mee , as the scripture saith , out of his belly shall flow rivers of the water of life ; yea , to set forth the excellency of this doctrine of free grace , the spirit of god takes upon him the office of a cryer in a court of records , ho , every one that thirsteth , come yee to the waters , come yee , buy and eat , yea , the third time he cries , come , buy wine and milk without money , and without price , isa. 55. 1. heare now you antinomians , if any of you have an eare to heare the wisdome of god in the truth of the free grace purchased and preached by jesus christ , that it is not phantasticall , as you have exprest it , but that reall and substantiall grace that gives being to the new and spirituall man , the very regeneration of the elect of god ; and as they are born of the spirit , so they are taught , led and guided , anointed and sanctified by the holy ghost , who dwelleth in none of the bodies of the elected ones , but where he hath wrought this heavenly work of grace there he dwells , there he witnesseth ; there is but three that bear witnesse for god to the truth in the whole world ; and the apostle tells us , 1 joh. 5. 8. it is the spirit , that 's the spirit of god ; water , that 's his first work and beginning of regeneration ; and blood , that 's the finishing and accomplishing the new birth ; the sanctifying , the binding up the broken heart by faith : wherefore blush and be ashamed of your blasphemy against the truth , in calling repentance a work of the law , and the preparation to faith a popish doctrine , and for ever hereafter take notice , that the way of christs free grace is by water and blood , 1 joh. 5. 6. and that repentance is the beginning of the gospel of jesus christ , mark . 1. 1 , 2. now i should have spoke of the fourth particular of free grace which is glorification , but of that hereafter . heresie . i beare you witnesse you have a zeale , but it is not according to knowledge : for if you did understand that excellent doctrine of justification before beleeving , you would not speak so much of any preparation to justifying faith : for by christs stripes we are healed from the beginning of the world : and to prove this truth , i argue thus : first , all the elect of god are justified before god : but some of the elect of god doe not yet beleeve : therefore some that doe not beleeve , are justified before god . secondly , he that is in christ , is justified : but we must be in christ before we can beleeve , therefore we must be justified before we can beleeve . truth . i answer , the due observation of terms is the true preservation of proprieties ; and except you justly distinguish of the terms before god himselfe , and gods grace by which he doth justifie his elect , you cannot understand truly , but you must confound heaven and earth together , and make god man , and man god , concluding such blasphemies as the familists doe , to whom hundreds of you are fallen within this two yeares ; who affirme of the trinity , that god the father is the minde , the sonne is the word , and the spirit is the word made knowne : and under these termes , mistaking the verity of the mystery of the trinity , conclude such gross blasphemies as these conclusions hereafter specified , making god the father the mind , god the son the word of that minde , god the holy spirit the effect or revelation of the word . and as these are three , so they are one , as you say , so it is and was at first in the creation , god the father was the mind of god , god the son was the word of that mind , and god the spirit was the working , meaning , or manifestation of that word ; so that in that which god said , let us make man ; and , he spake and the heavens and the earth was made , the firmament , the sun , moon , and starres , the sea and the fish therein , the aire and the fowls therein , the earth and the beasts , herbs , and trees therein , as god spake the word , and all these were created ; so that as they were made by the word , so they are the word , and as the word and the father are one , and as the father , the word , and the revelation of it are one , so whatsoever the word made , is one with the father , the sonne , and the spirit . and then the conclusion must be this , the whole creation is god himselfe . now to avoid such blasphemous consequences , we will distinguish of the terms , and therein shew the fallacy of your arguments , and then i will discover and establish the truth against your doctrine , which by this means will easily appeare to be false . first , for the terme that concernes god , ( justified before god , you say ) which if you meane as it concernes god in his infinitenesse , it is so farre above our line , or the capacity of the elect in point of reconciliation with god , as the highest heavens are above the center of the earth : for with god himselfe there is nothing before nor after : for the scripture speaks thus of god in this respect , that he calleth those things that be not , as though they were , rom. 4. 17. and again , one day is with the lord as a thousand yeares , and a thousand yeares as one day , 2 pet. 3. 8. thus you see , gods thoughts are not our thoughts , nor his wayes as our wayes , saith the lord ; but as the heavens are higher then the earth , so are his wayes and his thoughts higher then ours , isai. 55. 8 , 9. but when the prophet comes to speak of gods work in the creature to salvation , then he speakes in the creatures language and capacitie ; so that except man obey the voyce of god , he is left without excuse in these words : seek the lord while he may be found , call yee upon him while he is neere , let the wicked forsake his was , and the unrighteous man his thoughts , and let him return to the lord god , and he will have mercy upon him , and abundantly pardon , verse 6 , 7. thus as the prophet , we must distinguish between gods eternall purpose and decree , which is a secret , & known to himself only towards his elect before all times , and his calling and justifying of them in time , which is the effect of his foreknowledge and predestination , and that which makes known to the elect , gods secret purpose . and although it be said , who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods elect ? the apostle there doth not understand the justification of the elect before time , as you doe , but the justification of his elect in time called and justified . and although there can be nothing laid ( to such an elect justified ) to his condemnation , yet many things may be laid to his charge in regard of his weaknesse and frailty , if any brother be fallen through weaknesse , you that are spirituall , restore such a one by the spirit of meeknesse . thus nathan charged david , and david chargeth himselfe , against thee onely have i sinned . so our lord chargeth his faithfull servant peter ; and paul withstood him to his face , and saith , he was to be blamed . and so that holy apostle blameth himselfe also : oh wretched man that i am , saith he . and the scripture saith , there is not a righteous man that liveth , and doth good , and sinneth not . and again ▪ if any man say he hath no sinne , he deceiveth himselfe , and the truth is not in him . and the elect of god are renued again ( after sinning ) by repentance , as the church of ephesus is admonished by christ to repent and do her first works , rev. 2. 5. and however the saints do daily sin after justification , yet through gods grace they are recovered again daily by repentance , and maugre the malice and temptation of satan , the snares of the world , and the concupiscence of their own natures ; yet the lord that loved them once , doth still love them for ever , and doth wash off their filthinesse , and ownes them so for his own , that neither their sins , nor any power , or any creature whatsoever , shall , or can condemn them . secondly , you say , some of the elect of god do not believe , and therefore they are justified before they believe . i pray where did you finde or learn this logick , which is so contrary to the wisdome of god , which teacheth thus , by christ all that believe are justified from all things , act. 13. 39. and again , those that he calleth hee justifieth ; but your doctrine saith they are justified before they are called ; see in a word , how directly your preaching is against truths doctrine . and of the same nature with your former is your second argument , which runs thus : he that is in christ is justified , but wee must be in christ before we can believe , therefore we must be justified before we believe : which in the very terms is another doctrine then st. paul teacheth us , who saith plainly , wee are justified by faith , rom. 3. 28. and he justifieth the ungodly ; but i question your knowledge of justifying faith , which if you did truly know , you durst not teach , that men are justified before they believe ; it is true , hee that is ingraffed into christ , is justified , but it doth not follow therefore a man is justified before hee believes : i will asswage the hardnesse of the question by the mildness of a comparison ; that which acquits and frees a malefactor , is the sealed pardon of the king ; so likewise that which comforts and assures the penitent heart of mercy and forgiveness , is the sealing witness which gods spirit beareth to , or assureth the humble heart of the free grace and love of god through jesus christ ; so that justifying faith to the sorrowfull sinner , is as the sealed pardon to the malefactor : and to this agrees the scriptures , acts 10. 43. to him ( that is , to jesus christ ) give all the prophets witnesse , that through his name , whosoever believeth in him , shall receive remission of sins ; thus speaks gods word , and not as you speak ; so that it cannot truly be said , neither ought any dare so to preach that a man is justified before he believes , nor that he believes before he be justified , but that it is the same gift of gods spirit at one and the same time , even then to believe our justification when he accepts us just in him that justifieth the ungodly ; and as it is given by the holy ghost to believe , so it is continued , maintained and increased by the same spirit as the other spirituall gifts , as hope , love , joy and patience are ; and whosoever doth receive the spirit of adoption , he hath with it the testimony of it , which is justifying faith ; let us take heed wee do not separate that which god hath joyned together , for that is directly against the commandment , matth. 9. 6. let no man put asunder that which god hath joyned together : and in vain doth that man argue to prove which is first in the sun , the heat or the light , so vain it is in you to argue , whether justification or faith be first ; for when , or to whomsover god gives one , he gives them both , rom. 3. 26. wherefore i retort your arguments thus : if god give remission of sins to the penitent elect , then the impenitent elect are not justified ; but hee gives remission of sins to the penitent elect , acts 2. 38. therefore none of gods elect are justified before they are called , and their sins remitted ; wherefore never hereafter teach your disciples that the elect of god are justified before they believe , but learn to teach them to repent , that their sins may be done away , as the apostle teacheth , to life and salvation , act. 3. 19. and so st. john saith of the jewes , they did not repent that they might believe ; and consider our lords doctrine to nicodemus , hee tells him not of his election , although our lord knew well that secret , but hee preaches to him conversion ; except a man be borne again , he cannot see the kingdome of god , joh. 3. regeneration must be sought for by the elect , and by these effects and operations of the holy ghost , to make sure to themselves their election ; this is gods way prescribed in his word : and lest i fall into your error , as i have briefly disproved your doctrine , and discovered the falshood and mistie sophistrie of your arguments ; so now , by the help of god , i will lay down and confirm the truth it self , how the scriptures do speak of justifying and believing , that so you may come to know that which hitherto i perceive you are very ignorant of . wherefore thus saith the scriptures concerning justification , we are justified freely by his grace , saith the apostle , rom. 3 ▪ 24. titus 3. 11. likewise , that wee are justified by his blood , that is , by the blood of christ , rom. 5. 9. and also , that wee are justified by saith , rom. 3. 28. so then these three terms are to be considered in our justification , the blood of christ purchasing the grace and favour of god , and an assurance of it given to the lost , the dead , the broken , penitent , mourning heart , whereby , though it be dead , yet it is made to live , the broken is healed , the emptinesse is filled , the thirstinesse is quenched , comforted and refreshed with the favour and love of god , in and through jesus christ ; justification then is the imputed righteousnesse of christ , assured and made known to the elect by faith ; and this doctrine is cleared by the apostle beyond the least exception , speaking of holy abrahams justification , and being fully assured , saith hee , rom. 4. 21 , 24. that what god had promised , hee was able to perform , therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse ; now it was not imputed for his sake alone , that it was imputed to him , but for us also , to whom it shall be imputed , if wee believe . observe , first , that the apostle affirmeth justifying faith a full assurance , for wee shall have occasion by and by to make use of this : and secondly , that the righteousnesse of christ , which is our justification , is not given to us but by faith , in these words , to whom it shall be imputed , if wee believe , so that justification and justifying faith , can no more be severed , parted or divided , then the light and the heat from the fire ; and to this purpose st. paul calls christ the just one , and the justifier of him that believeth in jesus , rom. 3. 26. so that it is proved against all the antinomians in the world , that then , and not before , when god justifies his elect , then , and at that time he gives justifying faith , act. 13. 38 , 39. and as i promised before , so i will here briefly shew the divers acceptations and distinctions of faith , and three particulars do comprehend all other sorts and distinctions whatsoever ; historicall faith , to believe gods word ; the faith of miracles , by which it is given to a saint , or a sinner to work this or that miracle ; so also in the third place , the scriptures speak of justifying faith , of which it is said wee live by , wee are comforted by , through which wee are purified and justified , and this sort of faith is called in scriptures , the faith of god , the faith of jesus , the faith of abraham , the faith of gods elect , the faith that worketh by love , the faith in the blood of christ , the faith accounted for righteousnesse , the faith of the operation of god the most holy faith , and may be thus defined , that it is a full , firm , and certain trust or confidence , written by the power and spirit of god in the low , humble , penitent , and broken-heart , whereby it is given assuredly to believe , that all his sins are forgiven ; and thus he is made one with god by reconciliation and atonement in and through the eternall and everlasting love of jesus christ ; the materiall cause of this justifying faith thus defined is a full , sure , and undoubted trust or confidence ; the formall cause is the free grace and favour of god the father , and of his sonne jesus christ ; the efficient cause is the alone work of the holy ghost ; thereby imprinting in and assuring of the hearts of the elect of this confidence of this grace and mercie ; the principall and finall cause is the glory of god , and our lord jesus christ ; and the end subordinate is the salvation of the saints , the chosen ones of god from the beginning of the world : and this is the faith that justifieth , that comforteth , that overcommeth , that excelleth , whose dignity and excellencie every where shineth throughout the scriptures ; the ignorance of which this very age , yea , i say it again , this very age of ours deserves all these present judgements , and more also then lie upon us at this time ; we having had from god afforded us so great meanes to come to the knowledge of it : which sort of faith whosoever hath , shall never perish , but men may partake of both the other sorts to their condemnation . other acceptations the terme faith hath in the scriptures also , having reference sometimes to god himselfe , and therein importing the stedfastnesse and unchangeable truth of his decree and promise . and in other places it is to be understood of the doctrine of the gospel ; and so also of their faithfull discharge of their office that are gifted to declare and preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation : of which office it is hard for an antinomian , holding such principles as he doth , to come to understand ; wherefore repent in time , lest at last you turn all familists , which you cannot avoid , if you continue in your principles . her. we have had the experience of this new found conceited light , that such as have been dazled with it , have been staggred in the truth , and some have been so blinded therewithall , that they have fallen from the faith . but what say you to us ? we have the doctrine of the gospel pure and cleare , we hold faith and repentance to be the first works to life and salvation ; and that the church of god are a company of holy beleevers , and that now the time is come , that the church shall bee delivered from all her sufferings , according to the testimony of the prophets and apostles ; the purity of christs ordinances shall be established , christ shall bee set up upon his throne , and his church shall have the rule and preheminence in the world in greater power , dignity , and externall authority , then all the monarchs that ever have been in the world before . and in this outward glory shall shee continue till her lord come to translate her . truth . you speak like those that maintaine that the church of christ shall now so flourish and prosper , as that it shall extend its bounds and borders all christendome over , and most part of the world besides , into a monarchy ; and as formerly the temporall power in christianity hath had the rule and greatnesse , so now the ecclesiasticall power shall take place , and the scepter of christ in the censure of the church , shall be advanced and bear rule above all other government . and that now already it is begun that god makes the kingdomes of this world our lords , and his christs , and that now it is come to passe , that the godly shall rule over the wicked : for now they are given to be captives to gods people , whose captives gods people were before this time . wherefore i answer , great are the privileges and prerogatives that the scriptures speak of gods church and people in the world to come after the resurrection , is plain and evident in holy writ ; but to apply those prophesies and promises to the church in this present evill world , it is not well considered of you : for the lord by his servants , speaks of his church in a double consideration , as oppressed , afflected , and suffering here in this life , and as delivered , perfected and saved in the life to come ; then to rule , but here to suffer ; then to bee advanced into christs throne , but now , and here , to submit to the crosse ; now his house is a house of mourning , but then it shall be a palace of glory , jerusalem the citie of the great king shall be set up the praise of the whole earth . and in regard of his churches present suffering , her lord himselfe thus speaketh to her , feare not little flocke ; and comforts her with the grace and favour of god for the time to come in these words : for it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom . and it is a truth concluded of by all , if we follow christ in the estate of regeneration , we shall be made partakers of his glorification ; if wee suffer with him , we shall reigne with him ; the one condition is here , the other hereafter ; the one in this world , the other in the world to come . this is the testimony of our lord and all his servants , matth. 19. 28. 2 tim. 2. 12. and that short time , or while of suffering saint peter speaks of , is this present life ; and the time of making such sufferers perfect , is the life to come , 1 pet. 5. 10. agreeing with his brother paul , who according to the wisdome of god given to him , had cast up his accounts in these words , i reckon , saith he , that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us . even then , saith s. john , when christ which is our life shall appear , then shall we appear with him ; then shall we be like him in his dignity , as in this life we are like him in his ignominy , 1 john 3. 2. and ( friend ) looke into the scriptures , and you shall find the church , the blessed assembly described now to suffer , to mourn , to bee hated , to weep , to be persecuted for righteousnesse sake , and the contrary estate to be none of gods church or inheritance ; woe be to yee that laugh and rejoyce , that are full , and enjoy greatnesse and prosperity ; those that are rich here , have received their consolation ; those that are full in this life , shall hunger in the life to come ; those that are merry , laugh and want not here , shall weep and waile when the day of redemption comes : then shall be fulfilled to him that suffers not here , these words , thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things : and to him that suffered here , these words , he his evill things ; therefore thou that sufferedst not , art tormented : but thou that didst suffer , thou art comforted , matth. 5. luke 6. and luke 16. when gods suffering people shall bee rewarded , then such as have enjoyed their prosperity here , shall be condemned . i beseech you , as you love the truth , decline this doctrine of yours : for by it you doe revive againe that old tenent of popery . for what ever you affirme in your confession , they have maintained it with fire and sword , execration and excommunication : for they would prove , that their church by christs appointment , was to have supreme authority , power , and jurisdiction over all , they place themselves above the starres of god . and as in power , so in title , he must be called and stiled , the lord god the pope . and so he challenged worship also , that kings and emperours must kisse his stinking feet and toes , in token of their slavish subjection in honouring him with the power of heaven and earth , to kill & make alive , to pardon and retain sins , falsly proving this his abomination and whorish power , from gods divine oracles in these words , to execute vengeance upon the heathen , and punishment upon the people , to bind their kings with chains , and their nobles with fetters of iron . this honour have all the saints , psa. 149 , 8 , 9. avouching this scripture to be fulfilled in the holy church of rome , and that they were the saints which by this prophesie were foretold of to depose and disthrone kings : and to cloak & colour their covetousnesse , which set all their trickes awork , as bulls and pardons , at all rates and prices , whereby their coffers were filled with gold and silver from all countries and people . and this hee affirmed was prophesied for his filthy holinesse , maintenance and ungodly revenue in these words , the kings of tarshish and of the isles , shall bring presents , the kings of sheba and seba shall offer gifts , yea all kings shall fall down before him , all nations shall serve him , psal. 72. 10. and notwithstanding their grosse abusing the scriptures , and false claims to titles , as holy father , and holy mother the church , time hath now proved him to be antichrist , the man of sinne , and capitall enemy to the truth of god . and indeed this conceit that the church of god should enjoy temporall peace , and outward glory and authority , hath been alwayes the opinion of carnall christians , and the jewes to this day cannot see otherwise then when their still lookt-for messiah should come , that then they shall bee gathered to be a great people againe , and made a worldly monarchy to rule over all nations , as now all nations rule over them : but their groundlesse hope will prove but as the spiders web , and so it will be with all others of their mind : for see how the scripture resolves the question , that the saints ▪ the church of god , shall still suffer to the worlds end , the question is made with a loud voyce , saying , how long , o lord , holy and true , dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth ? and the answer from heaven saith , that they should rest yet a little season , untill their fellow servants also , and their brethren that should be killed as they were , should be fulfilled , rev. 6. 10. and the clad and washed with the righteousnesse of christ , and the blood of the lamb , are those that goe through great tribulations , rev. 7. 13 , 14. finally , of this doctrine we have a double witnesse , two brethren and apostles , whose praise is in all the churches , acts 14. 22. who both as one man conclude this truth as a decree for ever , that such as continue in the faith , must through many tribulations enter into the kingdome of god : which kingdome is that which all the prophets and apostles in all times have spoken of , which in its due place i shall briefly unfold . heresie . i pray you give us leave to speak : have we not clear scripture for the glorious reigne of christ upon the earth ; and that all the martyrs and holy prophets shall rise from the dead , and reigne with christ a thousand yeares in all prosperity , peace , riches , plenty , wealth , and glory , with such supreme power and majesty , as never any monarch in this world had before , nor ever shall have after ? for when the thousand yeares are expired , then comes the generall resurrection , rev. 20. truth . your confession shewes you to be a millenarian , which error as it hath been ancient , so of late , as of many other errors , there is a reviving of this amongst the rest . and as you say , the summe of it is , that now , or they know not when , christ shall descend personally from heaven , and then cause all the bodies of the saints that have suffered martyrdome from the beginning of the world , to be raised , and christ and his saints to live in this cursed earth , and corruptible world , in the enioyment of riches , wealth , power and authority , majesty and emporality , as no heathen nor christian monarchy ever had in this world before ; and you ground your mistake on rev. 20. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. now i answer , that the whole position is directly against the scripture you alledge , rightly understood : for the apostle peter affirmeth it plainly , that the heavens must containe and receive christ personally , untill the time of the restitution of all things , which god hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began , acts 2. 21. here are such witnesses as cannot be excepted against , even all his holy prophets , and then , and not sooner , shall the lord jesus come , which before was preached unto you , verse 20. and the place you instance , rev. 20. proves no more the millenary fancie , as you describe it , then it proves a new world in the moon ; or that men may plow the floods of the sea to sow and plant on them . and because the true understanding of that scripture will overthrow this error at once , wee will shew you that the resurrection there spoken of , is the spirituall and first resurrection which our saviour christ clearly layes down both in nature and order , john 5. 25. and because it is a mystery , therefore his expression is more then ordinary , verily , verily , ( twice affirming it ) i say unto you , the houre is comming , and now is , when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of god , and they that heare it shall live . this is the spirituall resurrection from sin , through the grace of regeneration : and these are they only that live and reigne with christ , having sought and gained the kingdome of heaven , and the righteousnesse thereof , matth. 6. 33. and those only that are risen with christ through regeneration , are born of god , and those that are born of god through faith , are victors , and overcome all opposition , even the whole world , and the prince and king thereof , 1 john 5. 4. and in this sense they reigne with christ in their estate of temptation and regeneration , who in their teares and sorrow are happy in the enjoyment of their comforter , who anointeth them with the unction of truth , and teacheth and instructeth them so sufficiently , that all the powers and thrones of antichrist , the subtilties , crafts and deceits of him and all his learned clerks , who have endevoured and used all means possible to couzen and cheat the people of god , for almost the space of this thousand two hundred and fourty yeares here expressed by the millenary number onely , because it shall not exceed more thousands then one ; in which cloudy and dark day the holy ghost hath so led and guided the sonnes of truth , that all the jugglers at rome and babylon , could not make them to mistake the mark of the beast for the mark of the lamb , nor to worship the beast and his image in stead of the lord and his christ ; yea , rather then they would defile themselves with the adultery of the whore , they would die a thousand deaths : for so saith the text , they lost their lives and their heads for the witnesse of jesus , & for the pure worship of god contained in his word , rev. 20. 4. and in this spirituall sense they lived and reigned with christ the whole time meant by the thousand yeares . and lest the inconsiderate reader should mistake this spiritual resurrection for a corporall , as the millenarians doe , the holy ghost gives marks and bounds to his disciples , as evident distinctions between the one and the other , in these words , marvell not at this , john 5. 28. for the houre is coming , ( hee doth not say as before , and now is ) in which all that are in the graves , shall heare his voyce ; which all contains every one good and bad at the general resurrection : and therefore your doctrine is contrary to the truth the scriptures hold out to us : for the thrones , and they that sate upon them , which you expound to be christ and his saints , the holy ghost discovers the quite contrary , even to bee the power and authority of antichrist himselfe , who had a charter granted him of god , and under his own hand , for the whole time limited to desolate and consume the saints , who for their sinnes sake the lord doth often give them up to the pleasure and rage of such heathenish murtherers and persecuters for a season , to enter into the sanctuary , and spoyle the heritage of the lord , jerem. 9. 16. lam. 1. 10. and if you had but lookt upon the text with cleane eyes , washed ●ith the water of repentance , and had learnd the song of sorrow of the mourner , you would not have been so blear-eyed as to have taken the abomination forespoken of by daniel the prophet , to be the kingdome of christ , that all gods servants witnesse to , and give testimony of : and that if it may be possible for you to apprehend the meaning of this scripture , wash your eyes with teares , and wipe them with the love of the truth , and look upon the text once again , and compare the 20 ▪ chapter verse 2. with the 12. chapter verse 3. and you shall see the same dragon in the one place in the ethnick heathenish power of the roman emperour , with all fiercenesse and unbridled cruelty , to havock , destroy , and kill the saints and children of god exercised in a tenfold persecution , to obliterate & wipe out of the earth the name of christ , the woman his spouse , and her first and primitive fruit , which was born to reign with christ for ever ; which power and authority the devill instigated , and stirred up with all their malice and hatred , as with a flood , caused as it were by the breach of the sea , so that the wife of the lord had no way to escape drowning and devouring , but to flie into the wildernesse , there to preserve her selfe , and so many of her children as she had preserved from death , where she was assigned to stay an houre , a month , a day , and a yeare , rev. 9. 15. the same dragon in the 20. chapter you find to be bound ; and yet in all and every day of his religation , to kill and destroy the saints just as he did before , onely differing in the manner : for now it is with a restraint , secretly and cunningly , by guile and craft , pretending christianity , and taking on him the name of a christian , and never the lesse devill then hee was before , onely a pretence makes the difference : for ever since the great battell that he fought , and lost the field ; for michael and his angels prevailed then against the drágon and his angels ; so that ever since all along popery , the devill hath turned christian ; and herein by a bounded and restrained way , effected his enmity to the full , as he did before in the heathens , in an open professed opposition to christ and christianity . and it is to bee observed , that when the devill turned to be a christian , then hee put on jupiters coat upon christs back , and made the modell and platforme of christian religion , just after the fashion of the idoll gods of the heathen ; and like a juggler and deceiver , playes the same game divers and several wayes , sometimes amongst men , sometimes amongst the angels of light , sometimes on horseback , sometimes on foot ; he rides on a red horse with a great sword among the heathens in the imperiall persecution , and took outward peace from the primitive christians , as well as from the earth it selfe . in the time of papacie , among carnall christians , he rides on a pale horse ; where the devillish dragon his rider , is called death it selfe , and hell followed with him , rev. 6. 4. 8. so then , let him have liberty & freèdome , or bind and restraine him , in all conditions he effecteth his work of envie , hatred and malice against the church of god . now there is one thing more in the text , and when i have spoke a word or two of the meaning thereof , i hope then you will see this scripture proves not your error . and thus it followes , after that he must be loosed a little season . and in the seventh verse , and when the thousand years are expired , satan shall be loosed out of his prison ; which words sound as if the devill should become the great red dragon again after the reigne of antichrist , and fall to act his first part the second time , to deny the lord jesus whom all this while he hath confessed , and to set himselfe to doe the utmost he can to oppose the very name of christ and christians ; and in this sense doth the holy ghost clearly expound these words in other scriptures , as our lord himselfe , matth. 24. doth clearly describe and discover the whole time of antichrists abomination and persecution , as daniel did prophesie of it , which is the whole and every part and season of the bound and restrained condition of the dragon before mentioned . and immediatly , saith our lord , after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sunne be darkned , the moon shall not give her light , and the starres shall fall from heaven , and the powers of heaven shall be shaken , vers. 29 ▪ in all which termes our lord speakes figuratively , and that another power after the end of antichrists tyranny , shall arise and fulfill these sayings of his , which things were prophesied of before , by the prophet ezekiel , chap. 38. 2. & 39. 1. and afterwards so understood by the apostle john , rev. 20. 8 , 9 , 10. which gog and magog saint john understands to bee the kings of the east , and the whole world . rev. 16. 12 , 13 , 14. where in a vision he saw the devill come out of the mouth of the dragon , that is , he left the ethnick imperiall power , and also the power of the beast , and beastly clergy , he will deceive by that false prophet no longer ; but as he left all his old instruments , so he goes on to make use of a new one , these spirits of devils goe forth unto the kings of the earth , that is , they goe unto them that are of the greatest power at this time , even the kings of the whole world , to gather them to the battell of the great day of god almighty ; which kings of the east , and of the earth , and of the whole world , cannot be understood of any but of him that writes himselfe god of gods , and king of kings , and emperour of the universe , the whole world , who giveth for his ensigne the moon , the very embleme of the world . observe how the holy ghost hath deciphered him for his reigne and residence , the east ; for his religion , the earth earthly and sensuall , even the idle fancy and corrupt deceit of mahomet himself , mingled and composed of the parings , out-side and offall of the profession of christians , jewes and heathens ; and lastly , his unparalleld power and jurisdiction to be no lesse then the force and strength of the whole world . now me thinks the meaning of our lords words , doth agree with his servant johns ; for by the term sun , our lord doth mean himselfe , the sun of righteousnesse , the truth of the gospel ; and it must be a great power that must so oppose the doctrine of the gospel in christendome , as to turn our light , that is , the light of men into the darknesse of mahometisme , and that that egyptian darknesse that hath overspread the greatest part of the world where the turk hath dominion , should darken christendome also , that is , the land of goshen , if the true light should thus be made dark , then the moon that hath no light but from the sun , shall not give her light in our saviours words ; and in his meaning also , men that are inlightened by him , as the moon is by the sun , shall not give their light ; for how can they possibly , when christ which is their light is darkened ? and when the sun and moon thus fail , then must needs the stars , whether ministers or professors , all such as are not the faithfull indeed , shall fall from heaven to the earth , that is , from the truth to mahometisme ; and in this great storm , the powers of heaven , elect and faithfull , from which condition it is impossible they should fall ; yet saith the text , these shall be shaken with the terrible storm , which compared with rev. 6. 12. makes it more cleare ; for the sun became as sackcloth of haire , saith the apostle , and the moon became as blood , and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth ; even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when shee is shaken with a mighty wind ; here the apostle is cleare in understanding the stars to be not true born christians , but untimely : and as st. jude speaks and calls them , wandering stars , to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever , vers. 13. but blessed be god for ever , that hath bounded and limited this last and great storm ( that shall fall upon his church , so as the very powers thereof shall be shaken ) with these comfortable words , immediately , quickely , it shall be over , it shall continue but a little season . heres . for the opinion of the millenaries , the truth is , there is no shew of ground for it in the scriptures , but wee have of late gathered our selves into a church communion and fellowship , and walk together in that order that christs word holds out to us , finding in our practice the scriptures true , that as moses was faithfull in all his house as a servant , so christ as a son is faithfull in his house , so that we order all things according to the word , and advance christs kingdom , his scepter and law in the purity , as the scriptures do declare ; believing also , that every congregation is independent , and that none but christ hath power to command each congregation ; and that none ought to be constrained , or in the least measure opposed or punished , as touching their consciences , but every man ought , and should live as the light of his conscience leads him . truth . by what you express , you should be an independent , as some call you , and as some of your judgement call or term themselves , wherefore i demand of you all , that would have generall liberty for every mans opinion , whom i mean by independent , where you find it written in gods word , that you should gather ▪ or congregate your selves in that manner as you do ; you that have been ministers , to leave your pastorall charges , and others , to forsake their fellow-member-ship in each congregation , for as much as the law of this christian church , as touching matters for publike worship and meeting doth incorporate every congregation or parish , and of many members makes them but one body , and yet you from this body , schisme and rent your selves , and so of divers torn pieces , remnants and broken members , to patch up a body or congregation of your own invention , contrary to the publike order , the statute lawes and ordinances of this christian church , and against the meaning of the holy scriptures also ; and when you your selves have made a body of your own making , then to have peculiar priviledges to do what you please with the consent of your members ; and whatsoever you ▪ shall do , to be beyond all power or magistracy whatsoever , to either question you or punish you , although by the rule of gods word there be cause , and all that all of you have done yet , is but outward and externall . now , i demand if there be precept or president for any or all these things you do , if there be , then shew it ; if you can shew none , for so i am sure you cannot , then how can you clear your selves , but that your practice is of your own inventions ? for , this is your doctrine , that those rules and orders which are prescribed by men , for the publique worship and service of god , being not plainly expressed in gods word , such lawes and directions are idolatry ; and yet will you devise rules and order 〈◊〉 practise them your selves of your own ordaining , for which you can bring no expresse word , nor true consequence . i pray see the conclusion ; therefore your way of religion is a wil-worship , and therefore idolatrous , and aggravated , because it is against the lawfull demands of christian authority . here i would not be mistaken , by what i have said , to oppose the private spirituall communion of the saints , according to the apostles practice , and the holy ghosts direction , hebr. 10. 25. but you say , this text proves your church-way , hebrews chap. 3. vers . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. the substance of which scripture is this , that as moses was faithfull in all his house , as a servant , so christ as a son , is faithfull over his house ; you making moses his faithfulnesse to consist in those prescripts and rules he gave for the temple ▪ or tabernacle in the form and structure , for priests and their habits , for the time of incense , sacrifices , divine services in the oracles and ordinances of god , even all the externall form and manner of gods publike worship : and you say , that christs faithfulnesse in his house under the gospel is not inferiour to moses under the law in all externall lawes , rules and directions in every particular , for as much as christ is the son of his own house , and as moses had a word for every thing , so christ hath left a word for every thing . it is true , moses is said to be faithfull to make and do every thing according to the plat-form and pattern which he saw that was shewed him in the mount , and his work was to make a temporall resemblance of the eternall tabernacle , which in a vision was shewed him , and therefore he made the tabernacle or moving temple , and every particular that concerned the materiall things , both for substance and circumstance , which were all figures and shadowes of that to come ; and will you make that to come the apostle speaks of outward materiall externall things and circumstances , and the church of christ under the gospel , answerable in outward materiall externall things and circumstances prescribed to the jewes by the law of moses ? then you must have a word for the form and matter of churches or houses of meeting , a word to direct us , who , and how shall be ministers , who for what sort of men , and how they shal be ordained , and a word for the bels for calling the congregation together ; a word for the ministers actions in the administration of all holy services ; a rule for dismissing the assembly with a blessing ; a word for childrens baptisme , as for circumcision ; a word for the time & matter of the lords supper , as which of all grapes for wine , and which of all grains for bread ; and for the manner and gesture for communication , as for the passeover , and the severall other circumstances about gods publike worship , which moses by a plain word prescribed to the people . now , if christ by himself , or his apostles , have left no such particular word or direction for the externall manner of his churches , publique services and order , as before are exprest , then by your argument , christ the lord is not so faithfull as moses the servant , which is blasphemy in any one so to speak . wherefore it appeares plainly you do not understand the apostles meaning ; and that you may consider the text , look again , and it will teach you , which saith , this man was counted worthy of more glory then moses , in as much as he who hath builded the house , hath more honour then the house ; and again , christ is faithfull , as a son over his own house , to purchase and redeem , to call , to make , to blesse , to sanctifie and save it eternally ; and this spirituall house , this heavenly tabernacle is that which the apostle proves christ to exceed moses in even in the substance it self , which all moses work did but witnesse to , and figure forth , and therefore the apostle makes the sons house to be the saints , the called and justified of god , whose house are wee , &c. that is , all gods elect regenerated ones ; wherefore , as the holy ghost saith , to day , saith he , if you will hear his voyce , harden not your hearts , that is , repent , that your sins may be done away , this is christs way and method to build his house , his church , to make them spirituall by regeneration , and of these spirituall sons to build his everlasting tabernacle ; and thus christ the lord , the son , the great master-builder , is the high priest and minister of the holy sanctuary , the true tabernacle which god doth build or pitch , and not man , heb. 8. 2. and in this sense every where doth the holy ghost understand the sons house , or church of christ ; the temple of god is holy , saith the apostle , which temple yee are , 1 cor. 3. 17. and again , yee are the temple of the holy ghost , which is in you , which you have of god and not of man , 1 cor. 6. 19. and in the 20th verse , that it is the purchase of christs blood , and the faithfulnesse of the son of the house ; and again , saith hee , christ loveth the church , and gave himself for it , that hee might wash it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word , ephes. 5. 25 , 26. this is the body , that is of christ , which the whole ceremoniall law of moses were but shadowes of ; and the faithfulnesse of christ in his house consisting of such spirituall substances , as hath been before described , take heed how you affect outward externall forms , rules and order ; for we find in scripture , that such as have been of your mind , to promote and advance , resting and glorying in the outward observation and common things of the church , that they have been the worst of christians and the persecutors of the saints ▪ wherefore take heed of popularity and externall dignity , for the outward state of the church of the jewes killed the prophets , and stoned them that were sent unto them , and yet their outward state was of gods ordinance , and yours of your own inventions , like the case of the scribes and pharisees in our saviour christs time , whose fair speeches , pretences and colourable shewes , were high in esteem amongst men , yet an abomination before the lord , luke 16. 15. and the prophet jeremiah saith , the pastors that should have gathered and fed christs sheep , did destroy and scatter the sheep of gods pasture , and tread down the faithfull like the dirt of the street , isa. 51. 23. prophesie against the shepherds , saith the lord to the prophet , son of man , prophesie against the shepherds of israel , and say unto them , wo be to the shepherds of israel , who feed themselves , and not the flock , &c. the diseased have they not strengthened , neither have they healed that which was sick , neither have they bound up that which was broken , nor brought that which was driven away , nor sought that which was lost , but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them , ezek. 34. 2 , 3 , 4. how many of you independents is there , that deny the food of life to the lambs of christ ? and will neither preach to them the word , nor deliver to them the sacraments , except they submit to your devised fancied covenant , and yeeld to such a confession of your own devising , or else to be excluded your church and communion in gods ordinances , which god himself freely offers to all that receive the common faith ? this new independency is but old popery , who laid as fair claims to the name riches and treasurie of christs church as you can do , by what ever i have found published by any of your leaders , and your humane church constitution , no better then that of babylon : wherefore omit not to procure oil for your lamps while the market lasteth , lest your indeavour be too late , when you cannot purchase it . you that talk so much of gods word , and understand so little of it , i pray you tell me where the name that most of you call your selves by is to be found in the scriptures ; i am sure the term independency is not once mentioned in all the churches of the saints ; yea , of and by them the quite contrary is affirmed : for , saith the apostle , the eye cannot say to the hand , i have no need of thee , nor again , the head to the feet , i have no need of you : for as the body is one , and hath in my members , and all the members of that one body , being many , are one body ▪ so is christ , 1 cor. 12. 21. and again , by one spirit wee are baptized into one body , vers. 12 , 13. that is , the whole church , whether we be jews or gentiles ; so then to follow the apostles argument , if there can be no independency of the members of , or in one body , then no particular congregation or church can be independent from the rest ; and the reason is beyond answering , because all particular churches make but one , which is the body of christ ; and this is the apostles inference , and so also is christ , vers. 5. so we being many are one body in christ , and every one members one of another ; so then see the membership and church-way of gods church in a spirituall and supernaturall respect , and not in a humane voluntary covenant , of which the scripture saith , they confederate , but not by me , saith the lord , therefore acknowledge not a confederacy to all them , to whom this people ( saith the lord ) shall say a confederacy , isa. 8. 12. for the confederacy or people convenanted together by god , the apostle calls all the suffering saints , these are the body of christ ( in these words ) for his body sake which is his church , col. 1 24. wherefore now see in a word , how by mistaking gods word , you mistake the scriptures , and the meaning of christs faithfulness in his house as a son , in comparison of moses faithfulness as a servant . heresie . in this his saying , hee reproaches us all , for his speech against the externall and outward gathering of churches , whether authority allow of it or no , is against us all in particular ; for we all agree in that , and in the freedome and liberty of our consciences without question , or any controul of any power , authority or magistracie whatsoever . truth . indeed this is the doctrine you all teach and cry out for with one voyce or consent , for which cause i term'd you all at first , all one enemy bound together wich the new-found common with of independency , which under a fair pretence , as under the pleasant object of green grasse lies the snake or serpent , to destroy the very truth of god ; and how ever you endeavour to bind sampson , the holy childe of god , as dalilah the harlot did , yet the with of your own invention , which you call independency , can the child and mother of truth break in sunder like a straw of rye , and grasse of the field , to be burned with fire , never again to be reckoned amongst the matter of gods building ; and that we may discover this straw and stubble more cleerly , let us consider what you say , in that you all agree in the freedome and liberty of conscience , &c. whereby the term conscience without due distinction , you put upon us most grosse and absurd conclusions : for what do you say ? in the generall you all say as much for popery , familisme , arrianisme , arminianisme , and all the rest of the heresies in particular as for your selves ; wherefore to cleere the question by the rule of truth , note and observe , that the scripture speaks of the term conscience in a manifold distinction : first , generally of two sorts , good and bad : secondly , apart , and of both particularly ; and first , for the good , which is to be considered in a double respect ; a strong conscience and a weak conscience , so distinguished , because some are strong through experience of the truth , and a great measure of knowledge , others through want thereof are weak , which weak conscience ought not to be forc'd , but born withall and supported , as 1 thes. 5. 14. 1 cor. 8. 7 , 9 , 10. 11. and chap. 9. 22. both which consciences the scripture calls good , pure , washed and purged , 1 tim. 1. 5. 1 pet. 3. 21. 2 tim. 1. 3. heb. 9. 14. and 13. 18. again , in the generall sense , the bad or evill conscience , that ought not to be born with and supported , in no respect whatsoever , which conscience hath a twofold distinction also : for every man by nature , the elect as well as the reprobate , hath an evill conscience ; and therefore the apostle speaking in the person of the regenerate elect , heb. 10. 22. saith thus ; having our hearts sprinckled from an evill conscience , and our bodies washed with pure water , cleerly shewing hereby , that the consciences of the elect themselves are wicked and evill by nature , before regeneration . and in the second place , the apostle to timothy , and to the church of thessalonica , speaks of a higher degree of an evill conscience , even of such as had known the truth , and yet had not received the love of the truth ; for which cause god sends such strong delusions , that they should believe lies , 2 thes. 2. and as such do not love the truth , so they depart from the true faith , and in stead thereof , give heed to seducing spirits , and doctrines of devils , speaking and preaching lies in hypocrisie ; having their consciences seared with a hot iron , 1 tim. 4. 1 , 2. and the spirit of god speaks expresly of the latter times , in which last dayes of the world wee now live in , which dayes and times wee by experience find to be perillous and dangerous , and by reason of the crafty , cunning , devillish doctrines that are invented and sown amongst us , that wee find our lords words true , if it were possible they should deceive the very elect ; for under fair speeches and religious pretences , they broach and sow dangerous doctrines : one cries out for popery , and all the abominations thereof ; another with his pretended new light , doth even darken the true light of men ; others say the spirit of adoption is in all men , a shining and burning light in the regenerate , and in the naturall obscured and covered over with corruptions , as the fire is rak'd up in ashes ; others say , a man hath no more soule then a horse , and that the resurrection shall be alike between men and beasts ; others say there is neither angel nor spirit , neither heaven nor hell , neither resurrection nor perfection ; others say they are christ , the prophesied messiah ; others affirm of themselves they are the two witnesses , the two olive-trees , the two prophets , and the two candlesticks ; others blasphemously say , that our lord jesus christ was a deceiver , and so was the apostles ; they also speak sleighly of the scriptures , and say of themselves , that they can write as good scripture as any of those wee have ; others are meere atheists , and say all things come by nature , and that they know not , nor hope for any better condition then the present , and will say these words , and such like ; let us eat and drink , and be merry , for to morrow wee shall die : these , and a thousand such blasphemies are maintained amongst us , and will every one of them plead , it is their conscience so to believe , which by your doctrine , should all be suffered without opposition and punishment ; for shame never plead any longer for baal , but search the scriptures , the word of god , and it will teach you , that the mouths of such heretiques and blasphemers must be stopped , 1 tim. 1. 11. and st. paul is as expresse in this point , i would they were cut off that trouble you , gal. 5. 12. i pray do not the fore-named false and lying spirits preach another gospel , another god , another christ , and so fall within that rule of moses , deut. 13. 5. that prophet and that dreamer of dreames , that perswadeth from our true god to a false , shall be put to death , according to that holy prophets commission , ezra 7. 26. that whosoever would not do the law of god , and the king , execution shall be made upon them , whether unto death , or unto banishment , or confiscation of goods , or imprisonment . oh remember gods own hand against such blasphemous gain-sayers , and withstanders of god and man , numb. 6. the earth opened its mouth and buried them alive , their tents , wives , children , cattell , and all that pertained to them , wherefore give unto god the things that are gods , and to cesar the things that are cesars , do not build babel again , under pretence of conscience ; and learn this truth , that you must needs be subject to all lawfull rules , lawes and orders , not only for wrath , but also for conscience sake , rom. 13. 5. now for as much as upon true triall all of you of all sorts that are not born of god , are plainly proved to be none of gods house , none of christs church , nor the temple of the holy ghost ; therefore , that she may more apparently appear to your understanding , i shall indevour to make a brief description of her & her children . the scripture speaks of her sometimes by the name of a man , and sometimes under the name and appellation of a woman : and at other times , in the neuter gender , either he or she , in these words , they overcame him with the blood of the lamb , &c. they loved not their lives unto the death ; hee said unto them on his right hand , come yee blessed of my father , &c. and abundance the like scriptures , by which terms , either sex is to be understood : now where the scriptures set forth unto us the saints and church of christ in the feminine gender , under the name and title of a woman , then it notes unto us her fruitfulnesse , in bringing forth unto god , as well as unto men . jerusalem from above is the mother of us all , gal. 4. 26. of us all , that is , of all those that are born of god , which birth is spirituall and heavenly , as before hath been shewed ; and in this sense she brings forth fruit unto god also , rom. 7. 4. and to men , gods elected servants , shee is a nursing mother , with bowels of compassion , she hath two breasts full of sincere milk for her little ones that are young ; and for her strong and elder children , shee hath stronger meat , she killeth for them her beasts ; she hath wine and bread , she furnishes her table , prov. 9. with a feast of fat things , a feast of wines on the lees , of fat things full of marrow , isa. 25. 6. the fruit of the rightous is a tree of life , and they that turn souls unto god are wise , prov. 11. 30. the children of this woman are the children of wisdome our lord speaks of , who only are they that can testifie to the truth , these are the wise that shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament ; and these are they that turn many unto righteousnesse , who shall be hereafter as glorious as the stars for ever and ever ; this is she whom god calls sion and jerusalem , that bringeth glad tidings , even the joyfull voyce , the people in whose heart is gods law , and covenant of life for ever , in and by them preserved ; for they are the keepers of his truth , and as they know the truth , so they preach it and declare it ; it is a fountain in them , out of their bellies do flow rivers of water of life : so also it is a store-house , a magazine of the lords provision , abundance , a plenty of things , old and new ; this good man , out of the treasury of his good heart , bringeth forth that which is good ; this housholder is the scribe instructed unto the kingdome of heaven , who bringeth forth of his treasury things new and old ; their fountain is their own and not anothers ; it is only this spirituall and heavenly woman , the church of christ , who unfoldeth and maketh known to the world the manifold wisdom of god , eph. 3. 10. which woman sometimes , according to the grace given her , is called a holy woman , a pure , undefiled , chast virgin ; behold , these are my mother , saith the lord himself : and sometimes gloriously described ; there appeared in heaven , saith st. john , a great wonder , a woman clothed with the sun , and the moon under her feet , and upon her head a crown of twelve stars , great with child , travelling in birth with pain ready to be delivered , rev. 12. 1 , 2. observe , this woman is continually fruitfull , still increasing , still big , travelling and bringing forth unto god ; and as she is thus glorious in regard of her graces , so in regard of her sorrows and sufferings , she is called a barren woman , by such harlots as call themselves the wife of christ , who not knowing the low , the spirituall , the humble penitent poor condition of the true spouse , despise her , hate and contemn her , as hagar the bond-māid did her mistress sarah , the free-woman , and report of her that is the lords love and delight , as desolate and forsaken of her husband , even a despicable and forlorn widow , and shall so be accounted of all that are filthy , till her sufferings are ended , even as the off-scouring of the earth . this holy church of christ , is also described unto us in the scripture , under the masculine appellation , a man , the first-born , a man-child ; israel , saith the lord by the prophet , is my first-born , deut. 4. 23. let my son go , saith the lord ; for israel is my son , my first-born , vers. 22. i am a father to israel , saith the lord , and ephraim is my first-born , jer. 31. 9. where by israel and ephraim , god means his faithfull chosen people , his church : so the first and primitive fruit of the church , under the gospel , is called a man-child , rev. 12. 5. and shee brought forth a man-child , who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron . now this name or appellation of the church , notes out unto us two things : first , the honour and dignity of the church , that although now in this life they suffer , and go by the worst of all carnall and outward christians , yet in the time to come , they shall receive the self-same honour which to their lord alone , and in chief belongeth : and as they shall have the same honour with their lord , mat. 19. rev. 2. so the lord is pleased to be called by their title also , psal. 89. 27. i will make him my first-born , higher then the kings of the earth ; and then he speaks of his church , vers. 29. his seed also will i make to indure for ever , and his throne as the dayes of heaven , where he will place his church with himself for evermore , mat. 9. 28. rev. 2. 27. with him in his throne ; yea , in his owne throne . in the second place , this masculine title notes out unto us the birth-right and inheritance that by right belongs unto the church of god ; that as the first-born man-child is the heir apparent , both by scripture and nature , so the lords first-born is the apparent heir of the purchased inheritance : and to this truth doth the apostle witnesse in these words , rom. 8. 17. if children , then heirs , heirs with god , and joynt heirs with christ , heirs of salvation , heb. 1. 14. heirs according to the promise , gal. 3. 29. heirs according to the hope of eternall life , tit. 3. 7. heirs of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that love him , james 2. 5. oh how sweet and comfortable are the words ! i could alwayes be mindfull of them ; yea , of this word , heirs of the kingdome which hee hath promised , &c. which now calls me to mind of my promise at first , to describe in its due place , the stone that was cut out without hands , which smote the image upon his feet , which became a great mountain , and filled the whole earth , &c. this term mountain , in the scriptures , sets forth unto us , often literally , the hils , or highest parts of the earth , but figuratively the greatest powers that are in this world , or that to come ; and sometimes by mountain we are to understand , such carnall and naturall men as have high thoughts , and great esteem of themselves ; and therefore as it is prophesied of john the baptist , isa. 40. 3 , 4. so it was fulfilled by him , luke 3. 4. who by the great gifts given him of god to work repentance , whereby he prepared the lords way , and turned the disobedient to the wisdome of the just ; and of the operation of his ministerie , it is said , every mountain and hill was brought low , &c. meaning , that the hearts of disobedient naturall men were made penitent , and their high thoughts humbled . also by the term mountain wee are to understand , all those great powers , dignities and authorities that have risen up , and born sway in this world , ever since the creation thereof , and amongst the rest , those monarchies , especially at the beginning of our discourse , particularly named , and with them , all nations and religions , papists , and others , as well christians as pagans , that have at all times hated , persecuted and destroyed the saints , the church of christ ; and with this truth , the prophet jeremiah was well acquainted , in saying , in the name of the lord , that hee would render unto babylon , and all the inhabitants of chaldea , all their evill that they had done to sion ; behold , i am against thee , o destroying mountain , saith the lord , which destroyedst all the earth , &c. jer. 51. 24 , 25. and again , who art thou , o great mountain , thou shalt be made a plain , zac. 4 ▪ 7. and for this cause , even for the great oppression of his servants and people , will the lord shortly go forth as a mighty man , he shall stir up jealousie like a man of war , hee shall cry , yea roare ; hee shall prevail against his enemies mightily ; and although he have been long silent and held his peace , and restrained himself all this world long , and hath suffered his own wife and little children to be afflicted with judgement from all the powers and authorities that have ruled in the earth , yet now it is neer at hand , that he that shall come will come , and will not tarry , but will destroy and devour at once all the mountains and hils that have desolated his own little holy hill of sion , isa. 42. 13 , 14 , 15. psal. 2. 6. and this holy hill of sion , which david speaks of , is the small stone , cut out of the mountain without hands , that daniel so long before saw in a vision , which became so great a mountain , that it brake to pieces the gold , the silver , the brasse , the iron , the clay , that no place was found for them for ever hereafter . now the holy scribe ezra , is shewed what the mountain cut out without hands is , 2 ezr. 13. 35. that it is sion , the church of god , and her king , the son of god , standing on the top of this mount sion ( a posture of majesty , belonging only to a king , ) and that this king should without sword , or lifting up his hand , or any instrument of war , destroy the multitudes that came out to fight against him with a blast of fire , sent out of his mouth , and out of his lips a flaming breath and sparkles , and tempest cast out with his tongue , vers. 10. and the torments are like to a flame , and their destruction shall be with the law , that is , like unto fire , v. 38. and the peaceable multitude are the ten tribes , carried away by salmaneser , king of assyria ; now both their carrying into captivity past long ago , and their return , which is not yet brought to passe , are a lively type of the saints captivity , both of jewes and gentiles , in the churches pressures and sufferings , and of their deliverance and salvation also ; as likewise the set-time to be in the day of the lord jesus his coming and revealing , v. 28. to the 50. compared with 2 king. 17. and farther , it filled the whole earth , saith the text , dan. 2. 34. observe the prophets expression , that the holy mountain of the lord at the first was seen to be a stone cut out without hands , which cleerly deciphereth unto us , the true nature of the church of christ in her first and suffering condition , the ten tribes captivity in their estate of regeneration , by which shee is made a holy , living , spirituall stone-house , and so made or fashioned , not by mans hands , or any humane power , as all the fleshly synagogues of this world are , but cut out and made without hands , as that tabernacle which god doth build , and not man , which is the true church or tabernacle , heb. 8. 2. and as i have often touched before , continually all this life long suffers under those that are evill and malignant , truly so called : wherefore the lord by the prophet comforts this holy church and mother of truth ; for a moment have i forsaken thee , but with great mercies will i gather thee ; in a little wrath have i hid my face from thee , for a moment , but with everlasting kindnesse will i have mercy on thee , saith the lord thy redeemer ; and again , oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest ; i will speak it again , ●ossed with tempest ; here 's a word that sets out the suffering of truth with her children to the full , even so tossed with the storme and tempest of affliction , as a ship is tossed with the roaring and raging waves of the seas ; or as a ball is tossed and beaten up and down , both by hand and foot , isa. 54. now as the prophet daniel by the dreame of the king did understand the day of small things concerning the churches condition in her estate of regeneration ; so also he saw the great and glorious power and soveraignty , its dominion and magnitude , in its deliverance and perfection : and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain , and filled the whole earth ; this is the mountain of gods holinesse , even the greatest power and soveraigne authority that ever was in the world before it . and the text notes out unto us three things , the time when it shall be , the place where it shall be , and the manner how it shall be ; the manner hath a double consideration , first , the beginning and weaknesse of this powerfull kingdome , expressed as before i have declared in her spirituall estate of renovation or regeneration , in these words , a stone was cut out without hands ; and in this first estate and condition of the church , it is said to live and reign , to attain victory , and overcome , rev. chap. 20. & 12. but this victory is by faith , this overcoming is by suffering , they overcame him , that is , the dragons pagancy , by the blood of the lamb , and by the word of their testimony , and they loved not their lives unto death , and at this battell the armies were great on both sides , and the victory glorious on the saints side , rev. 12. 7. 11. in the second consideration , wee are to understand the church in her glory and perfection , and to as far exceed all the monarchies , kingdoms and powers that were before it , as the body exceeds the shadow , the person the picture , the circumference the center . the babylonian monarchy , the head of gold , was a great power , thou , o king , saith the prophet , art a king of kings , for the god of heaven hath given thee a kingdome , strength , power and glory , and wheresoever the children of men dwell , beasts of the field , and fowles of the heaven hath hee given into thy hand , and hath made thee ruler over them all , yet all these bounds and dominations are but by way of comparison , to the universe , the heavens , earth and sea , which are the bounds of christs and his church , rule and lordship : secondly , the nature and condition of the kingdomes of this world , and the power and greatnesse of majesty that christs kingdome shall have in the world to come , differs beyond all comparison : for the kingdomes of this world are finfull kingdomes , powers and authorities ; yea , this present evill world is corrupted , and lies under the cursed condition by reason of sin , and as long as this face of the covering is cast over all people , and this evill is spread over all nations , isa. 25. 7. even so long death the king of feares the wages of that sin shall raign in it , according to the scriptures , gen. 3. 17. rom. 5. 17 , 21. 1 cor. 15. but when the lord shall set up his kingdome , hee will create new heavens , and a new earth : behold , saith he , i will do it , and the former shall not be remembred , nor come into mind : but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which i create ; for , behold , i create jerusalem a rejoycing , and her people a joy , isa. 65. 17 , 18. and the apostle by the same spirit of prophecy , saith , that the heavens and the earth that are now , with all these things , shall be dissolved : and according to gods promise , wee look ( that is , all gods saints ) for new heavens , and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness , 2 pet. 3. and the apostle john tells us , rev. 21. what this new heaven , and new earth is , even the holy church of god , the new jerusalem coming down from god out of heaven , prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ; and a voyce out of heaven expounds it to him , behold , the tabernacle of god is with men , and hee will dwell with them , and they shall be his people , and god himself shall be with them , and be their god , and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes , and there shall be no more death , neither sorrow nor crying , neither shall there be any more paine ; for the former things are passed away : and again , saith the lord , behold , i make all things new , write , for these things are true and faithfull . once again observe the prophet daniel , in these words , and it became a great mountain , of which our saviour gives the meaning in these words , the kingdome of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed , which is the least of all seeds , but when it is grown ( just as the prophet [ it became ] so our lord ) it is the greatest among herbs , and became a tree , &c. both which places as one shews , that although the church be now so little , that no man heeds or regards her , yet her increase shall be from the least of all seeds to a tree with branches , and from a small stone to a huge great mountain , even so big , as to fill the whole earth . which magnitude , excellent glory , greatnesse , and soveraignty of the church and kingdome of god , i shall in part discover , by considering these eight particulars : the king , the kingdome , the throne , the scepter , the lawes , the priviledges , the officers , and the subjects : and for the king thereof , thus saith the prophet , notwithstanding all the rage and opposition of the heathens , and the vain imaginations of the people , yet have i set my king upon my holy hill of sion , saith the lord , psal. 2. 1. 5. and the title of his crown is the title of his cross , this is the king of the jewes , luke 23. 38. and himself testifying a good confession before pilate , saith , thou saist i am a king : to this end was i born , and for this cause came i into the world , joh. 18. 37. secondly , the scriptures speake of the kingdome of christ above all comparison , and calls it , the kingdome of the son of god , and , that there was given him dominion , and glory , and a kingdome , &c. dan. 7. 13 , 14. now the consideration of these four things will briefly discover to us , how this church and kingdome of christ exceeds all other powers or kingdomes whatsoever : first , in the majesty of it : secondly , in its excellency : thirdly , in its universality ; and fourthly , in its eternity : the majesty sets forth the magnitude and greatnesse of this kingdom , the king is great , and the kingdom is great , behold , saith the angel to the virgin , he shall be great , and he shall raign over the house of jacob for ever , luke 1. 32. 33. and the prophet daniel describes this greatnesse , and what this house of jacob is , in these words , and the kingdome , and dominion , and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven , shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high , whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdome , and all dominions , rulers and powers , shall serve and obey him , dan. 7. 27. the excellency is set forth by the glory , splendor and purity of it ; and in this respect it is in scripture called the kingdome of god , the kingdome of christ , a kingdome of priests , a kingdome of saints , the kingdome of our god , the kingdome of glory , heavenly countrey , city , inheritance , possession , reward , all heavenly , all glorious , all holy , there shall be nothing to hurt nor destroy in my holy mountaine , saith the lord : the glory is exprest beyond the light of sun and moon in the firmament , or gold or precious jewels in the earth , there shall in no wise be any thing there that defileth , rev. 21. 27. thirdly , its universality sets forth the largeness of the dominion and unbounded limits of it ; the prophet david saith , its dominion is from sea to sea , from the river to the ends of the earth , i will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance , and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession , there 's the dominion ; and in the next words , see the greatnesse of the power and authority , thou shalt break them with a rod of iron , and dash them to pieces like a potters vessell , psal. 2. 8 , 9. they that dwell in the wildernesse shall how before him , and his enemies shall lick the dust ; yea , all kings shall fall down before him , all nations shall serve him , psal. 72. 8 , 9 , 10. and therefore hee is called the king of nations , for his universall jurisdiction ; who would not feare thee , o king of nations ? for greatnesse and power pertain to thee , jer. 10. 6 , 7. and daniels witnesse is , that all people , nations and languages shall feare him , his dominion is an everlasting dominion , which shall not passe away , and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed , dan. 7. 14. which in the last place shewes the eternity or perpetuity of the kingdome ; and therefore the apostle calls it , the everlasting kingdome of our lord jesus christ , 2 pet. 1. 11. he shall raign , saith the angell , over the house of jacob for ever , and of his kingdome there shall be no end , luke 1. 33. and this glorious kingdome of christ is often in scripture term'd a world without end : under these terms , everlasting life , everlasting kingdome , &c. the people of god , that formerly were , and now are refused , contemned , and cast off from the thoughts and estimations of others , shall then in that day be made a strong nation , and the lord himself shall raign over them in mount sion , from henceforth even for ever , saith the prophet , mic. 4. 7. the next and third particular to be considered , is the throne of the kingdome of christ ; and for that wee have the angels testimony also ; and the lord god shall give unto him the throne of his father david , luk. 1. 32. and againe , thy throne , o god , is a throne of righteousnesse , established for ever and ever , psal. 45. 6. and againe , thy seed will i establish for ever , and build up thy throne to all generations . and againe , his seede will i make to endure for ever , and his throne as the dayes of heaven , psal. 89. 4. ver. 29. and againe the third time , his seed shall endure for ever , and his throne as the sun before me , ver. 36. what moves the holy prophet thus three times to make mention of the king , the throne , and thy seed , that is , gods children by regeneration , thus to sing and rejoyce in the remembrance of them together , but for to shew us this holy truth , that the saints shall reigne with their king , that the saints shall judge the world ? for this blessed comfort the lord preaches to his children himself by his own mouth , rev. 2. 26 , 27. he that evercometh and keepeth my words unto the end , to him will i give power over the nations , and he shall rule them with a rod of iron , &c. and i will grant to him to sit with me in my throne , even as i also overcame , and am set down with my father in his throne , chap. 3. 21. and thus taught he his blessed apostles that followed him , in the regeneration , as st. matthew saith , and had participated and continued with him in his sufferings and temptations , as luke hath it , i appoint unto you a kingdome , saith our lord , as my father hath appointed unto me , that yee may eat and drink at my table , in my kingdome , and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of israel , mat. 19. 28. luke 22. 29 , 30. yea , this honour have all the saints , with the king in the kings throne ; oh yee saints , praise yee the lord , psal. 149. 9. the fourth particular is the scepter of this kingdome , and that the holy ghost calls a scepter of righteousnesse , heb. 1. 8. a scepter of righteousness , or righteousnesses , that is , righteous in the purity and excellency of it , is the scepter of thy kingdome ; this is properly shilohs , the saviours scepter , gen. 49. 10. yet such is the kings grace to his servants , his seed , church and people , that of this which in particular belongs to himself alone , even of this also doth hee communicate to his little ones , his first-born , the heirs of salvation , not only to sit with him in his throne , but also to rule with his scepter : the womans childe which are the saints , saith the text , are to rule even as their lord himself doth , all nations with a rod of iron , that is , with the scepter of righteousnesse , rev. 12. 5. and the lord hath decreed for ever , that it shall be so , whosoever he be that overcometh , hee will give him power and authority to sit with him in his throne , to rule over all nations , with a rod of iron , and to break them as an earthen vessell is dasht to pieces with a bar of iron , rev. 2. 26 , 27. and as the king of glory doth place the saints in his own throne , and gives them in particular the sway and rule of his own scepter , so he honours them with his own crown also , called a crown of life , a crown of glory , a crown of righteousness , and the like , they are all crowned , rev. 4. 10. the crown is laid up for all that love the appearing of our lord jesus christ the king of saints , 2 tim. 4. 8. the fifth particular in discovering the greatness of christs glorious kingdome , are the laws and rules of this kingdom , for as the kingdom it self is new , and all things new in it , so are the laws also , a new commandment give i unto you , saith the king himself , that you love one another , as i have loved you , that you love one another , joh. 13. 34. here 's both the precept and the president ; this holy commandment was given unto them in their estate of regeneration , 2 pet. 2. 21. and continues in them world without end , in glory and perfection , it is the law of the endless life ; this law of love , it abideth for ever , charity never faileth , 1 cor. 13. 8. most or all things else shall fail , prophecy shall fail , tongues shall cease , knowledge it shall vanish away ; all imperfect things shall terminate and come to an end , but this new commandement love , endures for ever ; death is strong , for it hath and will kill all men made and created ; and the grave , the issue of death is mightie , but love surmounts them all in the better sense , cant. 8. 6. the sea of waters cannot quench it , nor all the flouds , or overflowings of the ocean cannot drowne it ; for the coals thereof are coals of fire , which hath a most vehement flame , and it contemns all manner of substance to purchase it , it is no way to be attained , but by the gift of god . i will put my lawes in their inward parts , and write them in their hearts , saith the lord , jer. 31. 33. this glorious kingdome are all such as are made of god kings and priests ; these are the levits to whom god hath given the law and covenant of life to , this commandement of peace and salvation , mal. 2. 4 , 5 , 6. which hath comforted his people here , and for ever doth guide and regulate them in the perfection , the glorious and everlasting kingdome of christ hereafter . which law of gods kingdome is called in scriptures , a holy law , a royall law , a law of life , a law of libertie , a perfect law , and such like , james 1. 25. chap. 2. 8. 12. the sixt thing considerable , is the priviledges of this kingdome of glory , which are so great and many , that i shall rather obscure then discover them , their priviledge of power and authoritie is exceeding much , and abundantly set forth in the scriptures ; for when the lord shall exalt jerusalem , this his own kingdome , then shall the lord breake the staffe of the wicked , and the scepter of the rulers , isa. 14. 5. behold , saith the lord , i will make them of the synagogue of satan , which say they are jewes and are not , but doe lye . behold , ( saith he the second time againe to his church ) i will make them come to worship before thy feete , and to know that i have loved thee , rev. 3. 9. this is such a dignitie and priviledge as the lord himselfe with a twofold word of audience affirmeth to take them captives , whose captives they were , and to rule over their oppressors , isa. 14. 2. with the praises of god in their mouths , and a two-edged sword in their hands , to execute vengeance & punishment upon heathenish people , to binde their kings with chaines , & their nobles with fetters of iron ; this honour or priviledge have all the saints , psal. 149. and so saith the prophet , the sonnes of them that afflicted thee , shall come bending unto thee , and all that despised thee , shall how themselves downe at the soles of thy feete , and they shall call thee the citie of the lord , the sion of the holy one of israel ; whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated , so that no man went through thee , or delighted in thy company ; i will make thee an eternall excellency , a joy of many generations , isa. 60. 14 , 15. so also their priviledge of freedome and libertie , doth set forth their glory ; jerusalem which is above , is free , which is the mother of us all , gal. 4. 26. they are all free-borne , so begotten and born by the word it selfe ; for all the whole kingdome are children of the truth , and the truth it was that which made them free , joh. 8. 32. now the word and the truth are the sonne , and those that the sonne makes free , are free indeed , ver. 36. and from all manner of bondage ; free from sinne , free from death , free from sorrow , free from the grave , free from corruption , free from oppression , free from suffering , inlarged and set at libertie for ever to injoy immortalitie , these are the people that possesse and injoy the glorious libertie or freedome of the sonnes or children of god , rom. 8. 21. also the company and associates that are in this heavenly kingdome doe exceedingly declare the glory of it , to have and injoy the presence of god , of christ , and the holy ghost , the company of all the holy angels , the company and societie of all the holy patriarks , prophets , and saints , with the comfortable delight and excellency of the restitution and perfection of all creatures , both in the heavens , the earth , and the sea , and all that is within them , as shall be shewed hereafter , in the point of universall subjection . in gods presence , saith the prophet , is fulnesse of joy , and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore , psal. 16. 11. you , saith the lord , speaking to his saints , i appoint unto you a kingdome , and yee shall eate and drinke with mee at my table in my kingdome , luk. 22. 30. and as the angels are ministring spirits here in the saints sufferings , heb. 1. 7. so in the world to come with the presence of god wee shall have the company & presence of the angels about the throne , saith the text , rev. 7. 11. and there shall wee see abraham , isaac , and jacob , and all the holy prophets in the kingdome of god , and have heavenly sweet societie and company with them , luk. 13. 28. now as the priviledges of the kingdome excell , so also its officers exceed all others ; i will , saith the lord , make thy officers peace , and thine exactors righteousnesse ; violence shall no more be heard in thy land , wasting and destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy walls salvation , and thy gates praise , isa. 60. 18 , 19. then shall mercy and truth meet together , righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other , psal. 85. 10. and this is the seventh consideration ; the eight followeth , which are the subjects of this great king and kingdome . and the apostle is so generall and universall in these , that he excepts none , neither in heaven , nor in earth , not sea , nor under the earth , even none that can be named , but god the father onely , that subdued all under his sons feet , which is the king of this kingdom ; for so saith the apostle , 1 cor. 15. 27. for he hath put all things under his feete ; for when he saith , all things are put under him , it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him : so then it is cleare , that angels and men , and all other creatures , are the subjects of this great kingdome ; he hath put all things in subjection under his feete , saith the apostle , heb. 2. 8. and this is the prophets witnesse ; i have sworne by my selfe , saith the lord , the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse , and shall not returne , that unto me every knee shall how , every tongue shall sweare , isa. 45. 23. and againe , the nations and kingdomes that will not serve thee shall perish , yea those nations shall be utterly wasted , chap. 60. 12. and of the angels saith the apostle , let all the angels of god worship him , heb. 1. 6. and the apostle expounds the oath of the lord for this universall subjection , and saith , it is written , as i live saith the lord , every knee shall how to mee , and every tongue shall confesse to god , rom. 14. 11. and againe he saith , at the name of jesus every knee shall how , of things in heaven and things in earth , and things under the earth , and every tongue shall confesse that jesus is lord and king , to the glory of god the father , phil. 2. 10 , 11. and yet the holy ghost is more particular , to prove that all things in all places are subject to christ , rev. 5. 13. and every creature , saith he , which is in heaven , and on the earth , and under the earth , and such as are in the sea , and all that are in them , saith john , heard i saying , blessing , honour , glory and power , be unto him that sitteth upon the throne , and unto the lambe for ever and ever . and the prophet david , he foretold of this universall subjection of all creatures in the kingdome of christ in the world to come , saith the author to the hebrews , and understood it in these words , admiring at it , what is man that thou art so mindfull of him , or the sonne of man that thou visitest him ? thou hast made him a little lower then angels ; and the apostle gives the reason of that , thou hast crown'd him with glory and honour , thou hast made him to have dominion over the work of thy hands , thou hast put all things under his feete , all sheep and oxen , yea and the beasts of the feild ; the fowles of the aire , and the fishes of the sea : which makes the prophet fall into a wonderment ; oh god our lord , how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! psal. 8. 4. heb. 2. 6. now i am come to the two last particulars , the time when this glorious kingdome of christ shall be set up , and the place where it shall be continued for ever : the time was thus foreshewed to the prophet david , that the time of christs churches persecution , should not be till his second appearing , in these words , when the lord shall build up sion , he shall appeare in his glory , psal. 102. 16. and this time our lord himselfe plainly teacheth us to be at the end of this world , and not before ; which truth the saints and people of god do fully and certainly beleeve , although a thousand false prophets should arise and preach the contrary , under what shew or pretence of learning and religion soever they make . the cleare and plaine doctrine of our lord is this , mat. 13. 39 , 40 , 41. the harvest is the end of the world , and the reapers are the angels , as therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire , so shall it be in the end of this world , the sonne of man shall send forth his angels , and they shall gather out of his kingdome , all scandalous things , and all such as do offend them , or which doe or worke iniquitie . and when the question is made by the servants to the housholder , whether the tares the envious man sowed among the good seede should be pluckt up ? the master answers , nay , let them both grow together till the harvest ; and also giveth the reason , and sheweth farther what shall be done then , and not before , both with the tares & wheat also , although many unwarily do affirm at this time amongst us the contrary , yet thus saith the lord , ( and therefore i would wish all the contrary minded to take notice of it ) that at his glorious coming shall be the kingdomes deliverance , reigne , and perfection , and not before ; therefore saith her lord and king , when the sonne of man shall come in his glory , and all the holy angels with him , then shall be sit upon the throne of his glory , and before him shall be gathered all nations , and he shall separate them one from another , is a shepheard divideth his sheep from the goats , and then he shall set the sheep on his right hand , but the goats on the left , and assigne and put in possession the one to eternall blisse , but the other to a perditious eternall wofull cursed condition , even binding them into bundles to be burned ; but the blessed to possesse the lords own house and habitation for ever , mat. 25. 31 , 32. chap. 13. 30. and because this truth hath exceedingly suffered of late , by the literal learn'd of this generation , who have befoul'd the beauty and purity of it , with their dark smokie & misty mistakes , under pretence of pleading for the lamb and his wife ; i shall therefore briefly discover the spirituall learning of the apostles and prophets mysterious expressions of this holy truth : the holy apostle john in the revelations speaks with the same wisdome , aid and guidance of the spirit , as the angel taught daniel in the same mysteries , and their very expressions in many things are alike , but more opened and revealed by the apostle , then by the prophet ; they both agree in the computation of the time , though one writ long before the other , and each differing in the rule of reckoning , as the manners of the countries in which they lived ; the one living among the chaldeans , the other among the hebrews ; the one computing their times and yeeres according to the course of the sun , the other by the course of the moon : the hebrews , their reckoning is certain thirty dayes to a moneth , and twelve moneths to a yeer ; the chaldeans they reckon and compute according to the course and rule of the moon , which causes this seeming difference : for johns whole time for antichrists raign is twelve hundred and sixty yeers , in which the two witnesses shall prophesie in sackcloth , which as it notes out unto us their spirituall low and humble condition , so also their persecuted and suffering estate and condition , rev : 11. 3. now daniel makes the same very time of the abomination of desolation , to be twelve hundred and ninety yeers , dan. 12. 11. reckoning both of them dayes for yeers , according as the prophets did reckon and accompt , as i have proved before : now i shall make it appear unto you , that these two holy men of god , that were moved and led by the same spirit , both spake one and the same thing , both for the power and mystery of iniquity , and for the full and compleat time of one and the self-same number of yeers , for the continuance of it . and i prove it thus : as thirteen moons are thirteen moneths , and these thirteen moneths make but one yeere of twelve moneths , reckoning thirty dayes to a moneth , and twelve moneths to a yeere , by the same rule , one thousand two hundred and ninety yeers by the chaldee reckoning , amount but to one thousand two hundred and threescore yeers , according to the reckoning of the hebrews . and as they agree in this seeming difference , so they do most sweetly consent and agree in the point in hand , concerning the time of the beginning of the glorious kingdome of jesus christ , one and the same angel teacheth them one and the same truth ; and although there were neer 500. yeers distance between the times of their prophesying , yet the angels majesty both of doctrine and gesture is one and the same to both , all which shewes this doctrine of the time of the lords coming to restore all things , to exalt his church and saints , to be a most admirable and singular secret and mystery , for the continuall comfort and supportation of all his suffering members in all their afflictions ; and this made the apostle , speaking to the saints of thessalonica , of the day of the lords coming , his descending from heaven at the last trump , and the resurrection of such as are dead in christ ; wherefore saith he , comfort one another with these words , 1 thes. 4. 18. blessed and holy is he , saith st. john , that hath part in the first resurrection , for hee alone is the man that lookes for his coming , and hath comfort in his appearing ; the very same saith daniel , blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335. dayes , but go thou thy way till the end be , for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the dayes , dan. 12. 12 , 13. which number exceeds the former , which comprehended the whole time of antichrists raign and persecution , 45. yeers , thereby discovering a deep mystery of high understanding , which none but the wise can possibly apprehend , as the prophet declareth , vers. 10. which additionall number notes out unto us , that little season that shall be between the totall destruction of antichrist and the finall consummation of this world , which our lord himself signifieth by the word immediately , thereby to set forth all the time between the dayes of tribulation , and his own glorious appearing ; and st. john uses the word quickely , to set forth all the time likewise between the wofull raign of antichrist , and the wofull ruine of all ungodly men in these words , rev. 11. the second wo is past , and behold the third wo cometh quickely ; and as it is shewed to john , that after the thousand yeers should be finished , expired , and fulfilled , which is the whole time of poperies cruelty and mysterie of iniquity ; and the dragon , the devils liberty , which is exprest for the time to be a little season , in which satan shall move and stir up the nations of the four quarters of the earth , even gog and magog , those great and innumerable multitudes to desolate the saints , the church , even the beloved city of god , as before i have touched , till the very instant of time of the sonne of mans coming in his white and glorious throne to judgement , before whose face the earth and the heavens fled away , and there was found no place for them , rev. 20. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. and likewise the 45. additionall yeers of daniels chaldee reckoning , to be the whole time in which god will accomplish the scattering of the powers of his holy people , and between the ending of the time , times and half a time , and the generall resurrection to have all these things fulfilled ; and this is cleerly , though briefly intimated , wherefore i demand of all you learned monarchists , judaists and millenarists , where in gods word you will find any time for the glory of the churches prosperity in this world ? well , let a word be enough to the wise , and therefore never preach nor print such doctrines hereafter . the last thing is the place , where the scriptures speak that christ and his kingdome shall be in for evermore , and that is the earth , saith the truth , blessed are the meek , for they shall inherite the earth , mat. 5. 5. the kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our lord and his christ , and he shall raign for ever and ever , rev. 11. 15. even then , when the lord himself shall descend f●rom heaven with a shout , with the voyce of the archangel , with the trump of god , and the dead in christ shall rise first , and the saints living changed , before the kingdome be established , 2 thes. 4. 16. which st. john makes to be the voyce of the seventh and last angel , rev. 10. 7. saying , when he shall begin to sound , the mystery of god shall be finished ; and that the earth at that time shall be made the place of christ and his churches habitation eternally glorified ; observe the cleare and unanimous consent of all scriptures ; this is the new song of the 24. elders , rev. 5. 9 , 10. which sung to the praise of the lamb of god , thou wast slain , and hast redeemed us to god by thy blood , out of every tongue , and people , and nation , and hast made us unto our god kings and priests , and wee shall raign on the earth : and david makes it the song of his delight , in the often repetition of it , psal. 37. 9. evill doers , saith he , shall be cut off , but those that wait upon the lord shall inherit the earth . for yet a little while , and the wicked shall not be . but the meek shall inherite the earth , v. 10. 11. and again , such as are blessed of god shall inherite the earth , and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off , v. 22. yea , the earth hath the lord given to the children of men , psal. 115. 16. and again , the spirituall sons of him that feareth the lord shall inheritthe earth , psal. 25. 13. wherefore great is the lord , and greatly to be praised in the city of our god , in the mountain of his holiness , beautifull for situation , the joy of the whole earth is mount sion , psal. 48. 1 , 2. then shall it be that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of god , as the waters cover the sea , isa. 11. 9. which cannot be understood here in this world , but of the world to come , not in this old corruptible heaven and earth , but when the whole creation , even every creature , shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , rom. 8. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22. in that time , when none shall hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain , saith the lord , even then , when these heavens and earth that now are corruptible , shall be dissolved , and new heavens and new earth created , in which dwelleth righteousnesse , then , even in the day of the lords coming , 2 pet. 3. 11 , 12 , 13. isa. 65. 17. and as the glorious church of christ shall remain for ever , so shall the restitution of all things also , isa. 66. 22. finally , john was shewed the new heavens , and the new earth , and the renovation of all things , rev. 21. 1. when hee saw new jerusalem , the church of god , even the lambs wife , come down from heaven to the earth ; so that the tabernacle of god was with men , with whom hee will dwell for ever . and this is the heavenly countrey , church and city with foundations , which abraham , isaac , jacob , and all the faithfull people of god , have ever expected and looked after , that better resurrection , which as yet they possesse not ; for all these died in the faith , and received not the promise , meaning the hope that was set before them , god providing some better things for us , that they without us might not be perfect , heb. 11. 13 , 14. yet seeing the perfection afar off , and imbraced it through faith , and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ; for they that say such things , declare plainly , that they seek a countrey , a heavenly canaan , and paradise of rest : and as gods children have chosen god and his promises for their portion and inheritance , so the lord himselfe hath chosen sion for his habitation ; this is my rest for ever , saith he , here will i dwell , for i have desired it , psal. 132. 13 , 14. great and marvellous are thy works , lord god almighty ; just and true are thy wayes , thou king of saints , rev. 15. 3. the lord loveth the gates of sion ; glorious things are spoken of thee , o thou city of god , psal. 87. 3. the lord himselfe shall arise , and have mercy upon sion ; for the time to favour her , yea , the set time is come , psal. 102. 13. errata . page 6. line 17. for same blood , read sons blood . p. 9. l. 7. for a yeere , r. and a yeere , p. 12. l. 25. for n. h. 1. h. n. p. 49. l. 22. for elect . r. the elect . finis . 