being made known many men may stumble and fal theron and so perish both bodies anâ— soules the which is more lameÌ„table and as Roks in the seas the more they manifest theÌ„selfâ— the more furtherance in the way to the Heaven So errors in the world the more they manifest themselves the more furtherance in the way to heaven And you shal vnderstand that errors being brought to the light of the word of god wil vanish as darknes before the light of a torch eveÌ„ as the chaffe before the winde cannot stand so error before truth cannot abide therfore it is no hinderance but a great furtherance to haue al erroneous Rocks in the haven to heaven made knowen and published And a greate and suer argument it is that those Bishops and Ministers have not the truth that publikly dare not dispute or wryte against error as may be seene in the Bishops and Ministers in Queen Maryes dayes which could not abide to have books written and printed of that which they caled error and heresy but caused that if any such were written both them and the Authors to be burned if they could com by them Therfore if permission of conscience and liberty of the gospel be not granted and burning lawes repealed then the Bishops and Ministers now may perswade and cause to be burned both the books and the Authors that have the truth in steed of heresy and heretiks even as their predeâ—ssors have done already and so shed more innocent bloud and also provoke the Lord to further wrath against the King and State It is not the gallosse nor the prisons nor burning nor bannishing that can defend 〈◊〉 Apostoliq faith indeed the King aÌ„d State may defend RelioÌ„s peace 〈◊〉 their sword and civil power but not the faith otherwise then by the â—ord and spirit of God The dutch Princes and peeres say that force word gallosse in matter of Religion is a good meanes to spil bloud make 〈◊〉 vprere in the land but not to bring any man from one faith to another The â—agans wil not persequte one another for religion though as I read 〈◊〉 be aboue three thowsand sorts among them And you know both â—ing Henry and Queene Mary thought themselves defenders of the â—â—ith and thaught they burned herericks and heresy when they burned 〈◊〉 and their books but now you see and must acknowledg that they â—ere persequtors of the faith insteed of defenders therof and also that 〈◊〉 through the instigation of their bloudy Bishops burned the word 〈◊〉 God and those that professed and wrought it insteed of heresy and â—â—reticks And thus it wil be now if the Bishops and their Ministers â—ay haue their wils and therin they as their predecessors fullfill the â—ord of God in gathering Kings of the earth to the battell of the great day of â—od Almighty For they perswade Kings to force their subjects to reâ—â—ave the faith and to bee of the Church whereas the Word of God teaâ—eth otherwise saying Faith commeth by heareing and hearein by the word 〈◊〉 God and not by the Kings sword And Christ saith Teach al nations 〈◊〉 force al nations and this teaching is to be vnderstood by the word aÌ„d â—â—iting of the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Christ which is the Word of God For they that wil bee of the true faith aÌ„d â—hurch must be caled thervnto out of the World by the Word of God â—â—every nation and not forced and constrayned in every nation as the â—â—shop of Rome and al other false Bishops and Ministers have and 〈◊〉 perswade Kings Emperors and Magistrats And his Majesty and Parliament may please to vnderstand that so â—doe is to quench the Spirit of God in Christ Bishops and ministers and alâ—â—â— furstrate the precept of Christ which saith Preach the Gospel to evry 〈◊〉 besides it maketh their owne office aÌ„d functioÌ„ voyd they ought to preach instruct with al meeknes them that are contrary minded proveing if God at any tyme wil give them repentance that they may know the truth for the ministers of the Lord must not strive but be apt to teach gentle towards all men suffring evil men patiently telling Kings and Princes that the weapons of Christs Bishops and Ministers are not carnal as the weapons of all false and Antichristian Bishops and Ministers are but Spiritual mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe evry high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity evry thought to the obedience of Christ Also if all within the land be forced to be of the church as the Bishops and their ministers would stil have it theÌ„ there would be no world in the land but al the land wold be the Church which is absurd and contray to the scriptures and great ignorance doe the Bishops and their ministers shew when they thinck the whole nation of people is the Church of Christ for there it cannot be said out of greate Brittayne the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as shold be saved seeing within the land there would be none without to be added Also within that land then would be no perseqution seeing the Church of Christ doth not persequte at al much lesse it self but the Ministers and members of that Church doe persequte one another and therefore it cannot be the spiritual Kingdom and Church of Christ but of Antichrist seeing it is devided against it self and persequteth one another and wil with her mother greate Babilon be consumed and condemned seeing as she they burne bannish hang and imprison one another which is no Christian but Antychrist an monstrous cruel woulvish and a tyranous part ano practise for Christ sent hiâ— Ministers as lambs among wolves not as wolves among lambs Againe I humbly and withal reverence doe beseech his right excelleÌ„t Majesty to give me leaue to put him in mynd of those things that doâ— concerne the glory of God the assurance of his owne salvation the stablishment of his throne and the benefit both of the Church of Christ and the common wealth of al his dominions And though as Iosias he findâ— by reading in the booke of the new Testament a great alteration of the Apostoliq faith change of the lawes ordinances of Christ within his dominions Yet not to be dismayed as Henry le grand but be encouraged aâ— Iosiah to labor and endevor the redresse therof according to the mynâ— of Christ in his new Testament And I doubt not but as Iaacob the Patriarch prevayled with God Men So shal Iaacob the King prevayle both witâ— God men especially being his chief stuard by his new Testament Through the zealous reading whereof wil be found that Antychrist the king of the Catholiq faith and discipline caled the mistery of iniquity doth sit in the Temple of God even as
men and women that striue to serv God according to his wil in his word Be not your Bishops executioners in burning bannishing hanging and imprisoning of harmlesse and peaceable Christians but let them enjoy fredom of the gospell and liberty of conscience that so the Apostoliq Church which is scattered and driven into the wildernes aÌ„d desert of this world may be againe gathered togather both of Iewes and gentils into visible and stablished congregations And that the Catholiq and vniversal Church of Antychrist may bee consumed abolished by his word spirit as the holy Apostle hath foretold even the vttermost of his arival which is the Emperial triple crowne through the triple sea of Rome And againe I humbly entreate the King and parliameÌ„t to vouchsafe to heare me with patience yet a litle further If freedom of the gospel and permission of conscience might be graunted then would not Papisâ— nor any others dissemble their soules and to the greate danger both 〈◊〉 King and State seeing they are forced to Church against their consciences And may not Popish Priests and Iesuits vnawares to the Bishops become the Bishops Ministers seeing the change of their Religion and religions habit differ so litle aÌ„d so by degrees infect the people with more popish doctrine as occasion shal bee And such men wil readely imbrace the Bishops orders and so they shall readely have the Bishops favours by which meanes they may more easily aÌ„d speedly haâ— accesse vnto the court and presence of the King and Prince which indeed is very dangerous howsoever not regarded Therefore I doe according to my dewty humbly advise his Majesty not to bewtifie his couâ—â— and presence with any popish stones not with one though it be of Allâ—â—blastor But permission of Conscience and freedom and liberty of the gospeâ— will no â—ay bee dangerous to the King or State if such like rules â— these bee observed First that no people tainted with Treason doe beare any office That al sorts of people tainted with TreasoÌ„ doe at al times froÌ„ home weare ab lack hat with two whire signes the one before the other behinde in open sight That no people tainted with treason approach within ten myles of the Court without licence That no people tainted with treason doe inhabit the Citty of London nor yet within ten myles thereof That none tained with treason doe make any assembly or congregation That no person or persons in whatsoever difference by reasoning or disputing doe draw any weapon nor give any blow stroke or pushe in payne and penalty as his Majesty and Parliament thinck meet That for the more peace and quietnes and for the satisfyeing of the weake and simple among so many persons differing in Religion it bee lawfull for every person or persons yea Iewes and Papists to write dispute comfer and reason print en publish any matter touching religioÌ„ either for or against whomsoever alwayes provided they aledge no fathers for proffe of any point of religioÌ„ but onely the holy scriptures neither yet to reproch or 〈◊〉 one another nor any other person or persons but with al love gentlenes and peaceablenes enforme one another to the glory of God honor of the King and State and to their owne good and credit by which meanes both few errors and few bookes will bee written and printed seeing al false Ministers and most people have litle or nothing els besides the Fathers to build their religion and doctrine vpon or if it be once stablished by law that none shal confirme their Religion and doctrine by the Fathers and by prisons burning and bannishing etc but by the holy Scriptures then error will not bee written nor disputed except by obstinate persons and 〈◊〉 consciences seeing the word of God will bee no shelter for any error Yea I know by experience among the people caled Brownists that a Man shall not draw them to wryte though they bee desyred for one of their preachers caled Mast Rob hath had a wryting of myne in his hards above sixe Moneths and as yet I can get no answer it seemes he knoweth not how better to hide his errors then by silence and this willbee the case of all false Bishops and Ministers who had rather be mute and dumb then bee drawen into the light with their errors Therefore permission of conscience and liberty of the gospel in our laÌ„d of great Brittaine wil mightily further the advancement of the Apostoliq faith And chiefly their books whereout sufficient matter willbee drawen for the convinceing of every perticuler religioÌ„ which is against the religion stablished by Christ and his Apostles who by all meanes Lawfull sought the conversion and salvation both of Iewes and Gentils And they are vnconstant and faithles men or at least very ignorant that thinck error will ouercome and prevayle against the truth For the Abolishing of such thoughts I desper such men to coÌ„sider the mighty victory and prevailing of the truth in the tyme of Christ aÌ„d his Apostles which notwithstanding resisted and disputed against by the most part of the Priests and learned men both of Iewes and Gentils yet ouercame and prevayled against al the errors of the high priests and great learned Men both of the Iewes and gentils and the Apostle saith we cannot doe any thing against the truth but for the truth and seing it is the same truth which al good men would embrace why should we not hope the same victory by it Did not King Darius aÌ„d al the people both jewes and gentils cry out and say that truth is greate and strongest Why then should those that have the truth and those that wold have the truth be affraid of errore seing truth discovereth dark and dangerous wayes of error though abroad in open books even as light discovereth darke and dangerous places though abroad in open high wayes And as the more darke and dangerous the wayes be the more necessary and needful will light be found of al that travaile So the more darke and dangerous the errors be the more needful and profitable wil truth be found of all that would travil to heaven But som may say objection let al this be graÌ„ted yet it is no wisdom we think to bring dangerous errors into the light that so many men may stumble at them Which being not brought to light would not bee so much as knowen to som I answer no more then a Rock that lyeth hid vnder water which for want of bringing into the light many Men may make shipwrack thereoÌ„ and so stumble or fal neverthelesse though it be not so much as knowen to them before Therfore as a stock in the Seas though not so much as knowen to som yet for want of being made knowen many men stumble and fal theron aÌ„d so perish both men and goods So an error though not so much as known to som yet for wanâ— of
Christ hath injoyned Christians not by perseqution to force other mens consciences against their wils by the irritation of the Bishops of our Land Sixteenthly because perseqution doe cause men and women to make shipwrack of faith and good consciences by forceing a religion vpon theÌ„ even against their mindes and consciences and also doe send them quike to the devil in their errors if that be heresy for which they are haÌ„ged aÌ„d burned which to doe is a most vnChristian vnnaturall cruell and tyrannous deed and I am suer you would not bee content to be so dealt with all your selves but indeed the popish and Idol Bishops are the authors hereof against the people as wel as of other persequtioÌ„ against the princes For AntychristiaÌ„ Bbs doe draw Kings aÌ„d Princes hereto against their myndes as may appeare by Edward the sixt that Godly King of famous memory who being vrged by his bloudy Bbs to subscribe to the burning of a womaÌ„ caled Ioane Butcher he answered wil you have me to send her quick to the devil in her error but when his bloud thirsty Bs wouls have no nay he said againe to Bishop Cranmer I lay al the chaledg therof on you before God and Cranmer said he had never so much to doe in al his life as to procure it whereby I doe perceave that godly Kings are drawen to battel against the Saints by Antychristian Bbs and false Prophets who otherwyse would rule and reigne more agreable to the mynde of Christ Also herby may al men perceave that the counsel and Bbs could not satisfy the Kings conscieÌ„ce by their perswasioÌ„ if they could have shewed him the word of God for burning that Christian it wold have prevailed with that godly King and he might then of faith have consented but his answer sheweth that he was not of their minde for al that they had said and therfore now if it please you to require of your Bishops warrant from the word of God for the persequting of Christians or for forceing Prince and people to church you shal find not one Bishop yea not all of them together though assisted with their Ministers wil be able to shew warrant from Gods word whereby to perswade your conscieÌ„ces therevnto and whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and whatsoever is not from Gods word cannot be of faith Seaventeenthly because perseqution of Christians by Christians doe not onely justifye papists and teach the Iewes and PagaÌ„s to persequte Christians but also doe teach the papists and others that know not the mynde of Christ and once get the vpperhaÌ„d to persequte those that persequted them yea it is a meanes as we have had lamentable experieÌ„ce to set such as are forced to Church against their consciences at deadly hatred against the King and State and vrgeth al them to treason and rebellioÌ„ that have not truly learned Christ who himself was persequted to death whose harmles crosse al true Christians must take vp aÌ„d whose gentle and humble steps they must follow aÌ„d walke in or els they caÌ„not be his disciples nor sheepe of his pasture And nether can the papists be perswaded that perseqution is a sinne so loÌ„g as they aÌ„d other Christians are also persequted by the protestants seing the papists doe build their perseqution on the same ground with the protestants but both sorts of Bbs doe erre grosly as shal be shewed Godwilling when they make their defence except heerewith their consciences be convinced to yeld as I wish they may for the salvation of their owne foules the peace both of Prince and people and the saftye of the King and State In the meane whyle it is to be observed that those Bbs aÌ„d Ministers which perswade the King and Parliament to burne bannish hang and imprison for difference of religion are bloud-suckers and manslayers and such it cannot be denyed caused Kings and Magistrats to be their excicutioners and tormentors in burning the Martyrs in former tymes even in the dayes of King Henry the eyght Queene Mary as the books of Acts MonumeÌ„ts wil witnes if they be not burned and I aske the Bbs and their Mini if the martyrs should have obeyed the King and Queene rather theÌ„ have suffered death And now I must humbly and with al reverence doe beseech his Maje and parliament advisedly to consider among themselves whether the Prince or Princesse differing with the Church now in matter of coÌ„scieÌ„ce and religion stablished by law in our land as the right noble Princesse Elizabeth did in Queene Maryes dayes doe not incurre the danger ad cruelty of the law now as that worthy Princesse did then seing that popish and cruel law standeth stil in force in most points of religion and who dare trust the Bbs and ther adhereÌ„ts in such a case the matter lyeing in their hands Let it be supposed that the Princes heart should be moved by the lord to embrace the Apostoliq faith discipline shal he be forced to beleeve as the Bishops doe against his conscience shal he bee constrayned to submit to their goverment and discipline against his conscience shal he live in vexation and perseqution and in danger of his life by the Bishops and law stablished as the Princesse Elizabeth did yea it must bee thus with our right noble Prince except there bee partiality yea it will bee thus with his Princely person except those popish and cruel lawes be repealed and extinguished Wherefore I meekly intreate seeing death is most certaine though most vncertayne when that those Antychristian and Popish Lawes may bee dissimulled and made voyd in tyme least wee all lament and bewayle it when it wil bee to late And I pray your Majesty and honors to consider that Kings and Princes hearts are in the hands of the Lord as the Ryvers of waters to turne as he will And the scripture saith The ten hornes by which I vnderstand ten Kings shall hate the whore and make her desolate and naked Likewyse the Scripture saith to Abraham the Father of beleeving Princes as well as beleeving people Also I will make thee exceeding fruitful and will make Nations of thee Yea Kings shall proceed of thee Which Scripture doe also overthrow the judgment of those men that hould a Christian may not bee a King nor Magistrate Let such consider that the Lord here speaketh of Abrahams Spirituall seed and not of his naturall seed Because if it be vnderstood of his Natural seed then cannot Abraham be o Father of many nations seeing all Abrahams natural seed are caled Iewes and are but one nation of the Iewes so that the covenant of God could not be performed that said I wil make nations of the yea Kings â—â—al proceed of thee Therefore it must be vnderstood of his spiritual seed of which may be Kings and Princes that are not naturaly descended of him as wel as people that are not
the scripture hath foretold 〈◊〉 it is to be noted that the scripture hath also foretold of the consumatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 abolition of this Antychrist the man of sin his mistery of iniquity with theâ— most of his arival or hyghest top of dignity he is come vnto and this shal be done by the spirit of the Lord in the mouth of his servants For when 〈◊〉 words of God be fulfilled then shal the servants of the lord prevaile by his word and spirit with ten kings that shal hate make the whore desolate which sitteth in the hearts and consciences of peoples multitudes nations and this whore is the woman caled the great Citty which reigneth over the Kings of the earth meaning the chur of Rtome by her false faith aÌ„d disciplin which is so fast setleds in the hearts and consciences of the Kings of the earth that they think they doe God good service in killing and burning his servants that do speak against her faith disciplyne that wil not bay any of her wares that is her Antychristian doctrines aÌ„d ordinances But as she hath had her exaltation and arival to the heyght and dignity of the 〈◊〉 Empire of Rome by the love of kings who have given their power and authority vnto her and who have fought for her against the Saints servants of Iesus So she shal have her consumation and abolition from that height and dignity by the hatred of kings who againe shal take their power and authority from her and therwith defend the peace and persons of the Saints servants of Iesus noâ— for religions peace wil use their power and authority against the bloudy perseqution of Antychrist and al his bloudy Bishops and Ministers aÌ„d so becom nursing fathers vnto the church of Christ And as it hath pleased God to give his Majesty peace round about as he did vnto King Cyrus in whose dayes the material Temple began to be repared which was a figuer of the spiritual temple So I pray it may please him also in the peaceable dayes of king Iames to begin to repayre the spiritual Temple the Apostoliq church scattered and dryven abroad into the wildernes of this world whose caâ—ing and gathering together must be by the preaching of the word of God both to jewes and gentils and not by the sword of the kings of the earth as Antychrist and his Ministers have now along tyme perswaded and prevailed wherby not onely the jewes and infidels but also papists and other false Christians are hindred and deprived from the knowledg of the Apostoliq faith And it is be noted that David might not build Gods temple because he had spilt much blood which sheweth no blood ought to be spilt for the building of the spiritual temple 1. Cro. 28. 3. ergo peace in religion is a good meanes to make a vnity of religion among so many Christian sects And it is wel worthy consideration that as in the tyme of the old Testament the Lord would not have his offrings by constraint but of every man whose heart gave it freely so now in tyme of the gospel he wil not have the people constrayned but as many as receave the word gladly they are to be added to the Church by baptisme and therfore Christ commanded his disciples to teach al nations baptise them that is to preach the word of salvatioÌ„ to evry creature of al sorts of natioÌ„s that are worthy and willing to receave it And such as shal willing and gladly receave it he hath commanded to be baptised in the water that is dipped for dead in the water aÌ„d therfore the apostle saith Els what shal they do which are baptised for dead if the dead be not raised why are they baptised for dead And therfore also he saith we are buried theÌ„ with him by baptisme c and it is to be wel observed that when Christ wold have preached the word of salvation to the gadereÌ„s he did not compel them when they refused but finding them vnwilling to receave him and his word he turned from them without hurting theÌ„ also wheÌ„ Iames and Iohn saw that som of the Samaritaneâ— refused Christ they wold have commanded fyer from heaven to consume them as Elias did But Christ rebuked theÌ„ and said ye know not of what spirit ye are For the son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them By al which it may please his Majesty and Parliament to take knowledge that Christ wil haue none consumed with fyer and sword for not heareing and not receaveing his word And that howsoever it hath bene the mynde of Antychrist to destroy mens liues for religion and therein haue not spared neither prince nor people yet it is not the mynde of Christ that princes should destroy their subiects nor yet that subiects shold destroy their Princes for difference in religion And therfore why shold Bishops perswade Princes and people and why shold king prince and people be perswaded by their Bishops and Ministers to be contrary mynded to Christ verily it is a notorious aÌ„d playne token of a false faith and discipline that is defended by fyer and sword the power and authority of Princes And they cannot be Christs Bs and preachers that perswade princes and peoples to such Antychristian tyranny and cruelty And it is very evident that those Bs and Mm which giue ouer men and women to the Magistrate to be perswaded by perseqution doe shew clearly that their doctrine is not good and that they want the word aÌ„d spirit of God aÌ„d therfore flee to the Magist sword for the forceing of them to their faith and disciplyne and as the wyne is not good which we are forced to drink so those doctrynes are not good which we are forced to beleeue But it may be by this tyme al those Bishops who vnfainedly feare God and truly love the king will haste and make speed to come vnto his Majesty for pardon acknowledging the truth of this booke confesseing their ignoraace and arrogance in the knowledge of Gods word and in compelling the people to heare the word preached and for impri burn bannis and hang for religion coÌ„trary to the minde of Christ aÌ„d also for stopping the mouthes of meÌ„ aÌ„d burning their books that preach aÌ„d wryte contrary to their myndes aÌ„d wils yea it may be they wil also confesse and say Oh most gratious king we beseech your Maiesty to shew vs mercy and to forgiue vs our spirituall pride and ambition in that we haue thus long vsurped the blasphemous titles of spirituallords and lords graces the which Tytles we now to the glory of God aÌ„d honor of the King do with Vntained hearts confesse to be due and belong onely to Christ himself and that the name and Tytle of spiritual lord cannot belong to any earthly Creature no not to the