neither lie nor aequiuocate he knew noe sinne neither was any deceite in his mouth and in this case keepe silence he might not he must needes confesse the truth because that was for the honour of God his Father for whome he ruled and therefore not to haue acknowledged this Kingdom was to haue denied his Fathers Kingdom and right to rule all men therefore he addeth that he was borne to beare witnesse vnto the Truth Yet that he might not in the least measure be guiltie of his owne death he thrice affirmed that his Kingdom was not of this world and consequently not praeiudiciall to Caesars nor to the right he chalenged in the temporall Kingdom and that Pilate well vnderstood when in that sense he saide Art thou then a Kinge for when in that sense Iesus answered thou saiest that I am a Kinge as * Pilaâ—um credisse Christum Regem esse non tameÌ„ ejus regnum aduersarium esse regno Caesaris sed pertinere ad quandam singularem Iudaeorum religioneÌ„ id probat quod perseueranter euÌ„ Regem appellauit Ecce Rex vester Regem vestrum crucifigam Iesus Nazarenus Rex IudaeoruÌ„ Tolet. in 10.18 Ioh. 19.4 vers 6. Vers 7.12 one that talked more of it then Christ did Pilate went out againe and saith to the Iewes I finde in him noe fault at all and Luk. 23.14 Ye haue brought this man vnto me as one that peruerteth the people and behold I haueing examined him haue found noe fault in him touching those things whereof ye accuse him Noe nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and loe nothing worthy of death And after when they cried not him but Barabas he when he had scourged him went foorth againe saying I bringe him foorth to you that ye may know that I finde noe fault in him Why then did he against law and conscience scourge him and when they seeing him cried crucifie him he saide againe Take ye him and crucifie him for I find noe fault in him And after when they saide by our law he ought to die because he made himselfe the Sonne of God Pilate was the more afraide and sought to release him But the Iewes cried out if thou let this man goe thou art not Caesars freind whosoeuer maketh himselfe a Kinge speaketh against Caesar When Pilate heard that his desire of freeing Iesus begaÌ„ to stagger though he beleeued that if he had any Kingdom it was not of this world yet as thinking that if he should not proceede it might worke him Caesars displeasure therefore bringing him foorth he saith not now as before behold the man but behold youre Kinge and after shall I crucifie youre Kinge The cheife Preists answered Vers 14. wee haue noe Kinge but Caesar Yet he washed his hands and then with this inducement Mat. 27.24 Luk. 23.23 he willing to content the people deliuered him to be crucified For the voices of them and of the cheife Preists preuailed Whence wee may behold the miserie that oft followes greatnes The miserie of greatnes appearing both in the cheife Preists and Pilate the one carried a way with such extreme enuie implacable hatred that the iudgment of innocencie often pronounced by a Iudge would not satisfie them the other with importunitie and respects of contenting appeasing gratifying others and preuenting complaints to Caesar of suffering another Kinge to an act of iniustice soe much aginst his owne conscience and often reiterated sentence of aquitment A poore fruite to often following the greate and vncessant labours of ambitious climing when for feare or fauour to gratifie or content they are oft faine to punish innocents and acquit men guiltie and wicked and somtime in matters of Christs cause and Religion Yet am I not of theire opinion who thinke a States man can not be an honest man For vnder Godly Kings walking in the right path of Religion as faithfull to theire maker such as Dauid Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosias and others they may carrie themselues iustly and doe God greate seruice such Kings moue them not to any act of iniustice nor to maintaine Idols or Heresies much lesse to punish or molest true beleeuers and innocents But if the Prince they serue be an Idolater an Heretick or Wicked they can hardly hold theire places and keepe a good conscience 1. King 21.8 c. For when Ahab raignes Iezabel writes her letters to the Elders and Nobles to subborne false witnesses and to stone innocent Naboth and it is donne Iehu writes to the Elders to kill all Ahabs children and it is donne Diuers Kings were displeased with Prophets and the Nobles wronge them as they did Ieremie and others Ioh. 12.42 Amonge the Cheife Rulers many beleeued on Christ but because of the Pharises they did not confesse him lest they should be put out of the Sinagonge For they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God Act. 24.27 Felix willing to shew the Iewes a pleasure left Paul bound When Iustine the Emperour had depriued the Arrians of those Churches they held in Greece Theodorick King of Italie Liber Pontif. in Iohan. I. sent Iohn Bishop of Rome assisted with Senators to intreate him to restore them if not to tell him he would serue the Catholicks with the like sauce The Pontificall booke saith they intreated the Emperour with teares and preuailed that is to haue wolues restored to the Sheepe Belisarius by the commaund of the Empresse Theodora an Eutichean thrust out Siluerius placed Vigilius in the Popedom that he might according to promise condemne the Councell of Chalcedon and write Letters in confirmation of the Eutichean faith Baron Vol. 7. ann 538. art 20. wherevpon Baronius calls Vigilius a Theefe a Wolfe an Antichrist Ye haue seene that the Easterne Emperours made theire Bishops consent to the Pope in worshipping of Images and at last in Purgatorie Superemacie and other articles and what followed It would be to longe to relate how the Iudges nobles and prelates vnder Emperours and Kings haue made Preists abandon theire wiues and people receiue his other lawes errours when theire Princes in feare or flaterie temporised with the Pope For Prelates nobles and people are naturally prone to fashion themselues into the religion of theire Princes and patrons and that hath made Iesuited Spirits practise to make reformed Princes luke-warme Popish or Arminians 2. King 16.10 For when Kinge Ahaz seeing a strange Altar at Damascus sent the Patterne of it to Vrijah the Preist to make such a one and offer on it he not minding that theese things ought not to haue differed from * Exod. 25 4â— Act. 7.44 the patterne giuen to Moses that noe other things wer to be intruded into the Temple of the Lord refuseth not but doth it be it neuer soe bad Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis A wonder therefore it is that men be soe ambitious of these places wherein theire soules are
man will I hope be so rash as to conceite that your Maiestie a Christian King should not ouercome a Pagan Prince in that much honoured vertue much lesse so far to forget the duty of a subiect as to infer from this example that we vnder the Gospell of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ haue liued to a time vvhen it should be accounted a crime in any Christian to confesse and defend the faith of Christ crucified IdeÌ„ in orat ad Câ—rol 5. inter Epist Youre Maiestie by youre Roiall title is Defender of the faith and consequently of all those youre Maiesties subiects that professe and maintaine the same Then saith Gueuara is the Prince naturall of the Kingdom when he doth obserue and defend the Gospell of Christ I confesse right high and mightie Monarch youre Maiesties affaires are many important that amonge many things offered to youre Princely coÌ„sideration some may be of greater consequence in the conceite of the preferrers then in true substance and may perhaps be therefore answered with parturiunt montes nascetur rediculus mus or with that Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Ioui But this Confession amonge other things manifesteth that the successe and safety of temporall Kingdoms depende on the due receiuing and maintenance of Christs and extirpation of all the open secret enemies thereof Knowing then that in this Island Christ hath had a Kingdom theese seauenty yeares or vpwards that there is noe true Christian nor good subiect but would be loth to see it eaten out by Iesuiticall or Pelagian practises what honourable or loial Seruant is there in youreâ— Maiesties Court that if a man Ieh 9.1.30 as weake as he that was blinde from his birth should by Gods assistance pleade Christs cause to the Rulers with good proofes would not take that of our Sauiour into consideration chap. 12.48 He that reiecteth me and receiueth not my words bath one that iudgeth him the Word that I haue spoken the same shall iudge him in the last day The first part vvhich conuinceth the Iewes may seeme at first sight to make nothing for or against any here nor much to coÌ„cerne Christs cause in this Island but as it like a greate wheele moueth all the lesser and like a Roote yealdeth sap and life to all the branches the worke it selfe is but litle and that subiect fills not a fifth part of it vouchsafe therefore greate Kinge youre Roiall and Princely patience and youre Maiestie shall soone see how reuiued heresies doe eate at the roote both of Church and State and that vvith noe ordinarie danger Yet doe I not strike at the Arminians but through the sides of the Pelagians nor soe much at theire tenets as at theire practises nor at them but as they are against the Kingdom of God the honour of youre Maiestie the peace safety and strength of youre Kingdoms Neither is that donne by me but by Christs owne Confession and Complaint and such consequences as necessarily follow froÌ„ the same the examples out of holy writ and other Histories here gathered beeing only Instances of the neuerfailing truth of that which Christ in his Confession denied or affirmed Now therefore the greate God of heauen and earth in whose hands are the hearts of Kings giue youre Maiestie to see embrace and establish the things that belonge to the peace of youre Kingdoms Luk 19 42. and now perplexed subiects which is the thinge herein desired and daily begd of God in continuall prayers by youre Maiesties most humble subiect and Vassall To the Christian Reader CHRISTIAN and Truth-louing Reader I offer here to thy most retired and serious considerations the Confession and Complaint of Christ Iesus our Sauiour with such vndeniable consequences as necessarily follow from the same that so thou maiest obserue from his mouth who is the best Pilote what course to steere in this troublesom and tempestious age to bringe that pretious Iewell Vessell of thine thy yet floting Soule vnto the Hauen of true happines that it may not be surprised by Seducers suffer shipwrack against the Rocks or late sunke Vessels of errour nor runne a ground in the shallowes of ignorance Ephes 4.14 That wee henceforth be noe more children tossed to and fro and carried aboute with euery winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceiue But following the Truth in loue may grow vp into him in all things which is the head euen Christ A worke that might haue beene vndertaken by one more experienced in such sacred mysteries and better qualified for them then I am Yet if a man that is but an ordinarie Passenger in a ship shall espie it to be neere a Rocke a Ship sunke or some other Sea marke set vp to discouer a danger who will blame him if while others that should watch are sleeping or otherwise buisied he giue notice thereof to them that are with him embarked in the same Ship or in any other within hearing that the dangers may be auoided Such as beare good will to Sion pray for truly seeke the peace of our Ierusalem will soone perceiue that my indeauours herein are only exercised in seeking the Kingdom of God the honour and safety of our Soueraigne Lord the Kinge the peace and happines of his Maiesties Kingdoms and of Gods Church in them together with the conuiction and amendment of such as haue donne euill offices to any of theese 2. Tim. 2.25 If God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recouer themselues out of the snare of the Deuill who are taken captiue by him at his will But on the other side if any that haue exchanged theire best iudgments for such honours and other gifts of the World as blinde the eyes of the wise or for the hopes of them If any who are Iesuited or poisened with Romish or Pelagian errours finding themselues touched with theese lines shall make a worse construction of them to cleare themselues or theire adherents then can with good Conscience be giuen and framing a minde to me out of theire owne shall therevpon begin to inueigh against this litle tratise or the composer thereof the Booke it selfe will I hope say enough to stop such mens mouthes and if that doe not I know a longe Epistle can not doe it I will therefore leaue all further Apollogies and appealing from them to God to whome all hearts lie open implore his almightie protection In the meane time hopeing such things of thee as accompany saluation and beseeching thee to excuse and correct with thy pen such faults as not without wronge donne to me haue escaped the Printer in the printing I rest Thine in Christ Iesus I. P. CHRISTS CONFESSION AND COMPLAINT Ioh. 18.36.37 Iesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world If my Kingdom were of this worâ—d then would my Servants fight that I should not
naturall power is the cause of Predestination and soe in effect of redemption of vocation iustification glorification all which theire grosse errours beeing also followed and mantained by the Arminians of our times as the * Pelagius rediuiuus Parallelismus With the second Parallel Parallel proueth doe take the Kingdom honour and power from the Word of God from grace which should raigne Rom. 5.21 and giue it to nature and the foreseene works thereof yea all the honour and power of election conuersion and saluation from God and his free grace and Power in Christ and giue it to nature and the works thereof Thus while they presume to make to God a minde word out of theire owne noe maruaile if they to theese errours adde others as presumptuous against the perseuerance of the Saints and certainty of saluation For how should they beleeue perseuerance that giue so much and euen perseuerance it selfe where it is to fraile nature Men that are called into the grace of Christ Gal. 1.6 Men that stand by grace Rom. 5.2 and that are * Rom. 6.14 Gal. 5.4 Reu. 9.1 Isai 14.13.14 not vnder the Law but vnder grace will easely beleeue that they that thus highly exalt nature are fallen from grace Euen as the Starre is saide to fall from heauen who would exalt his throne aboue the Starres and be like the most high that would be vniuersall Bishop vsurpe Christs place and take the Kingdom the power and the glorie from the Father and his Word and giue it to himselfe and his traditions and errours of free will merrits satisfactions c. And how then should they but fall away and doubt of the certainty of saluation who build vpon such rotten foundations of theire owne the Saints may be more certaine for theire perseuerance and assurance is built vpon a surer Word and not on such Pelagian and Popish dreames nouelties which indeed are doctrines of this World and Antichristian not the Word of that Kingdom which is not of this World Ioh. 8.44 but errours comming from the Father of lies doctrines of deuils and so meere Idols cleane contrarie ye see and opposit to the whole purpose and scoape of Gods truth and new couenant of grace reuealed in the Gospel as might be shewed more at large if many others had not alreadie donne it The Pelagians therefore and Demipelagians Papists Arminians and others of that stampe who thus bringe doctrines contrarie to the Word of grace Act. 13.8.10 as with Elimas the sorcerer they turne away Princes and Magistrates from the faith and are therein children of the deuill and enemies of all righteousnes peruerting the right waies of God soe doe they not lesse then set vp Idols other words to rule mens soules and to be reuerenced beleeued followed and consequently draw the iudgments of God on that Kingdom or nation whereinto they intrude theÌ„ and are therein noe better then seditious preachers in Christs Kingdom mouers of rebellion and apostacie against Christ if not traitors to those Princes also whome they perswade to receiue them to the extreme danger and hazard of theire Kingdoms as Bishop Carlton also proueth pag. 214. against the Appealer because God almightie that is euer iust must needes doe to them if they doe not repent and amend as he did to those Emperours and Kings that suffered theese and the like errours in Saint Augustines dayes when the Gothes and Vandals ouerran all and as before that he had donne to Salomon and others in like case 1. King 12.27.28 and namely to Ieroboam who when he and his councell in polecie to preserue his owne Kingdom brought in some new doctrine and worship set vp Idols stretched out his hand against the prophet Chap. 13.33.34 Chap. 16.2.3 made preists of the lowest of the people and ordained high places the text saith This thinge became sinne vnto the howse of Ieroboam euen to cut it off and to destroy it from of the face of the earth Soe was it with Baasha and others And seing the Apostle saith let noe maÌ„ deceiue you with vaine words for because of theese things commeth the wrath of God Ephes 5.6 so must it needes be in the Christian Church with them that maintaine or suffer errouâ—s for therfore Christs saith to the Church of Thyatira which suffered the woman Iezabel to teach and to seduce his sernants Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultry with her into greate tribulation except they repent of theire deedes And I will kill her children with death c. Thus therefore must it needes fall out with those Churches and states that suffer the Bomish superstition and lawes or other heresies to be taught in theire dominions much more if they maintaine them and soe coÌ„mit fornication with that whore or any other hereticall teachers And this as I saide haue those Emperors Kings and Princes found that haue either receiued whether in polecie or otherwise the errours of Heriticks or the Antichristian doctrine of Rome as for suffering of heresies was instanced in some Emperours and might be in many others Now for poperie it would be to longe to recite the examples of Gods iudgments that fell vpon those Emperours Kings and Princes or on theire issue and Kingdoms in Germanie England France Spaine and other parts who subiected themselues oâ— theire people and Kingdoms to the Popes Supremacie and to his superstitions lawes rites and errours or temporised with him in some of them therefore omitting the most obserue only theese few The Easterne Emperours Iudgments that fell on temporisors in religion Iustinian and after him Phocas in polecie the better to recouer and keepe Italie did the Popes much honour and greatly furthered theire supremacie who soone after by Gods iust iudgment in requitall setting themselues against the Emperours theire successors in the cause of Images made the greatest part of Italie reuolt from the Emperours obedience After this the Emperour Constantine 7. and his mother Irene to get the Popes fouour and thereby to recouer some parts of the western Empire or keepe those they had from reuolting summon a second councell at Nice and there with stronge hand they get the worshipping of Images established which temporising God soe cursed that within twelue yeares after God suffered the more full reuâ—lt and the Pope to crowne Charles the greate Emperour of the Wâ—st The Emperours of Greece had longe held warre with the Turkes at last leauing to trust in God and relying on humane polecie to get the Popes fauour and by his meanes the aide of Christian Princes the Emperour Iohn Paleologus brings the Easterne Bishops to reconcile in all differences the Greeke Church to the Latâ— Concil Floâ— anno 1439. and there in the councell of Florence he gets them besides other articles to agree that the soules of the faithfull that haue not yet satisfied for their sinnes goe to purgatorie that the Pope of Rome
pray which was called the Temple and which seemeth so to be in the vision must not be measured but Saint Iohn is commaunded to leaue or cast it out that is not to reckon it the Church of Christ as not continuing in the Word and so not in Christ but fighting against those that doe Which things are so apparant in the Church of Rome that therefore her head the Pope and her true members are in Gods account as Gentiles or heathen many of * See the Originall of Idollatries printed an 1624. whose idollatries and superstitious rites and ceremonies they haue taken vp and vsed with verrie litle alteration therefore that part of the Temple signifying this Church is reckoned heathenish not to be otherwise measured and they that are of it as heathen Gentiles for it is giuen to the Gentiles And not in the other part but in this Antichrist sits and so is saide to sit in the Temple of God in that part to which God hath right as well as to the rest though it be pofessed vsurped by one that sits as it were for Christ but commaunding things contrarie to the Word and so shewing himselfe that he is God that is most maister in those things and one whose lawes binde in matters of faith and must be obeied though this Church hold some of Christs doctrine as other hereticall churches haue donne yet by other doctrines and traditions contrarie to the Word she makes the Word of God of none effect and indeede warreth against the true Church and the members thereof and they against her Seauen Angells come out of the true Church and powre out theire vials vpon her and other enemies and her members blaspheme his Name that is his Word therefore God will not haue her reckoned to be his he will only haue the inward roomes measured for his Temple with them that worshipped therein Reu. 14.9 the holy place place the Altar with the most holy place which was the Arke of the Testament which John saw there when it was opened there was noe other Word therein none in Christs true Church but Gods Testament noe other Word receiued in matters of faith and saluation the Papists in receiuing Antichrists are not of this Church but * Character of a Christian pag. 214. and 288. are saide to haue * see pag. 292. the marke of the Beast to worship him and to fight for him against Christ especially since the Councell of Trent for which hell fire is assured to them Now it is not possible that they that are so marked soe fight shal be soe tormented should be a true Church of Christ or of it Her oft pronounced fall her scarlet die in the blood of the saints her fighting against them and against Christ that sits on the white horse and whose Name is called the Word of God her cup Reu 19. and names of blasphemie with diuers other things doe all proue the contrarie but to leaue her wee heare what Christ saith before Pilate If my Kingdom were of this world then would my seruants fight that I should not be deliuered to the Iewes Yet surely as for fighting with swords to keepe him Why Christs seruants did not then fight for him Mat. 26.53 at that time from beeing surprised taken and deliuered to the Iewes he saith to him that smote the high Preists seruant Thinkest thou not that I can not non pray to my Father and he shall presently giue me more then twelue legions of Angels But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled which shew That thus it must be and after his resurrection he saide Thus it is written and thus it behooued Christ to suffer euen thus that of his seruants not one should then fight for him to rescue him thus it behooued then not that they were bound to forsake him but that though they should haue followed and defended him by all lawfull meanes yet thus it behooued him to suffer thus forsaken of all that the Scriptures might be fulfilled But doth it behooue him now he is risen and entred into his glorie That there is not the same reason now that thus he should suffer forsakeÌ„ in his cause in his members that men should not now fight for him Surely noe For he sheweth that his seruants should stick to him and follow him better after his resurrection then they must confesse him and contest for him before Kings Princes and euen Emperours Kings and Princes should fight for him and his cause when they should embrace the Christian faith greate rewards are propounded to him thâ—t ouerommeth Reu. 2. which though it be principally meant with the sword of the Spirit yet in Princes that may draw theire swords to desend the faith it may also be taken that way When Iohn saw them that had gotten the victorie ouer the Beast Reu. 15.2 and ouer his Image and ouer the number of his Name questionles there were amonge theese some Princes Captaines Souldiers States men and Magistrates that did it or helped to doe it by theire swords lawes as well as others that did it by preaching disputing and writing for wee know the Beast and whore are both to be ouercome by fire and sword Reu. 14. cap. 18. cap. 19. and not only by the sword of the spirit Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the earth Reu. 1.5 therefore they ought all to defend the faith of Christs to defend the Word and his cause both by theire lawes and swords and also to suffer any of theire subiects to maintaine it against all Heriticks and seducers by the sword of the spirit and noe man to forbid them For the first He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords therefore they ought to follow him be led by him to fight against Antichrist and his supporters and against his other enemies yea not to fight for him and his Kingdom now may proue a curse to them as of old to Meroz and the Inhabitants thereof that came not to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie For though it be true that the ReuelatioÌ„ saith of the Kings which are the hornes of the Beast Theese haue one minde Reu. 17.13 and shall giue theire power and strength vnto the Beast Yet this doth but shew the sinne theese Kings would fall into committings Fornication with the whore by enforcing the Beasts and her lawes on theire owne subiects or suffering Antichrist and his ministers to seduce them which is accounted a wicked warre against Christ though he at the last ouercome them therefore it is added vers 14. Theese shall make warre with the lambe and the lambe shall ouercome them viz. with the spirit of his mouth the power of the Word preached and written For he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him viz. that fight against theese Kings with the sword of the spirit to conuince them by