it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it said Moses even of that which he gave as an outward Commandment which was near in Christ which the outward signified which being blotted out by reason of Transgression that which was within but blotted out by reason death was come over was given without But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Deut. 30. 13 14. The Word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach saith Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. there is no need of going afar off As he hath made man individual so he requires every individual man to worship him and he hath put something of himself a measure of Christ Jesus into every individual man whereby and wherein every individual man may worship him this is General this is Universal this is Publick this is Catholick he hath not left man to seek out of himself to form to shape to liken nor to depend one man upon another how or wherein he should be worshipped he hath not put him to that hazard neither hath laid upon him that which is a heavy burden or too hard for him to bear or at too great a distance or at any distance at all but as he hath required man so he is near man or he hath put into man that which will enable him to do as he requires So the Lord is no hard Master nor doth require impossibilities nor hath he left man to wander up and down but he is near him to take him by the hand and to lead him to all that he requires he is in him to tell him what he should do and he is with him to enable him to do what he would have him the same that doth the one doth the other Herein is the loving kindness of God seen and his justice that he requires no more than he enables to do and that he gives to enable to do what he requires and to another man hath not the Lord left man to be directed but the thing is in himself which all the World is mad at because the Devil is in all the World and he would perswade man that God is afar from him as the Devil is to God and gets his eye abroad to look at a distance where God is not to be found That which is to be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewn it unto him but the work of the one my hath been to draw man from this The invisible things of him are clearly seen from the Creation of the World being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 19 20. Yet because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned professing themselves wise they became fools and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like corruptible man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own bodies between themselves who changed the Truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Amen For this cause God gave them up to vile affections for even their Women did change their natural use into that which is against Nature and likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the Women burned in their lust one towards another men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that are not convenient c. vers 21 to the end So here 's the reason why men are so far off God and are strangers unto him and become abominable and to every good work reprobate it is not that God is not near them or that that of God which is to be known is not manifest in them even his eternal Power and Godhead but because they like not to retain him in their knowledge because when they know God they glorifie him not as God neither are thankful but become vain in their imaginations so they come to change the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image like unto corruptible man men come to form God like unto themselves and make him like as they imagine him to be therefore God gives them up who change the Truth of God into a lie into imaginations of things without them their foolish heart being darkned and to worship the Creature more than the Creator who is God blessed for ever Here 's the reason of all the false Worship in the World all worshipping of God at a distance all inventions of men and their medling and having to do with Worship and to order that all outward Constitutions and Persecution for not observing the same Men are gone far from God their foolish heart is darkned they are become vain in their imaginations they are alienated from God by wicked works they have not liked to retain God in their knowledge nor have been thankful that that of God which is to be known was manifest in them therefore have they put God afar off and looked upon him at a distance and so have made Images and Representations and taken upon them to form him as they please and a Worship for him as they please and they that will not fall down to it into the fiery Furnace they must be thrown and into the Lyons Den he must be cast that will make a Petition to any other Godd that will not worship God after that manner of Worship and as those their Laws have prescribed First They are gone from that which is of him in them by which they might know him that they have not liked to retain in their knowledge nor glorified God as God when they knew God will not own that which is to be known of God which is manifested in them as it is then they think of God without them as he is not then they frame Worships according to their own minds after this manner and after that shaping God as they please and a Worship for him whom they have so shaped who have neither heard his Voice at any time nor seen his shape outwardly then they compel all to serve this God so shapen and to worship him as they have shaped and formed his Worship some after this manner some after that and those that will not Fines Imprisonments Suspensions from Places and Dignities casting out and Excommunications Whippings losing of Ears burnings in
suffer any kind of torment then deny their Saviour Christ Jesus Others Others Sacrifice saith he counterfeit Christians who thought that the Riches and Honour of this World was true felicity it self without any delay fell to Sacrifice Ecebolius the Sophist of Constantinople was Ecebolius the Sophist turns Cat in the Pan again Falls to Idolatry after Julianus death turns again His Speech in the Church Poâ—ch when he laid himself all along for the passers in to tread upon him one of them who in the dayes of Constantine was an earnest follower of the Christian Faith but when Julian succeeded him he fell to Gentility and the Idolatry of the Pagans after the death of Julian he became a Professor of the Doctrine of Christ again and lying along at the Porch of the Church saith the History cryed to such as came in Tread me underfoot for that I am the unsavoury Salt As a scourge for Julian who undertook these enterprizes for Julians Judgments The Persians invade him the Heathen Godds and against the Christians the Persians invaded some of the Romans Jurisdiction of whom to be revenged he took his Journey into the East through the Coasts of Asia and Raiseth money on the Christians for not Sacrificing to maintaâ—n his Wars Whâ—ch was rigorously exactâ—d considering that many evils and inconvenies attended War and great sums of mony were requisite he set a great fine on the heads of those that would not Sacrifice So that the Christians every one rateably were assessed in a certain sum which was very grievous and duly demanded which Law he made of force not onely where he travelled but also in such Countries where he came not The Heathen hereupon insult over the Christians near so that he wonderfully enriched himself with injurious heaps of money unjustly exacted Then did the Gentiles insult over the Christians the Philosophers celebrated their frequented Conferences they solemnized certain detestable Rites and Ceremonies they made slaughter of Infants sparing no Sex They used Perform their Rites Slay Infants their Intrals for Southsaying they tasted of their tender flesh These detestable practises were both at Athens and Alexandria and elsewhere And because Athanasius was returned to Alexandria Cap. 12. Athanasius returned is falsly accused divers false accusations were raised against him that he had subverted Egypt and the whole City of Alexandria so that of necessity they said unto the Emperor that it behoved him to banish Athanasius out of Alexandria so that by the command of the Emperor the Governor was sorely incensed against him concerning The Emperor incenst which Athanasius is said to utter these words to some of Athanasius prophesies of the shortness of the storm Gets away is pursued but lies hid his Familiars My Friends let us go aside for a season this is but a little Cloud which will quickly vanish away He immediately took shipping and went into Egypt his Adversaries pursued him his Followers perswaded him to fly into the Desart so he escaped them and got privily again into Alexandria where he hid himself till the kindled flame of Persecution was quenched Furthermore The Governors enrich themselves by the Taxes on the Christians the Governors of Provinces thinking it now high time to fill their Bags under colour of Religion vexed the Christians far sorer than the Emperors Proclamation bore them out in demanding greater Taxes then they were rated at and sometimes tormented their Bodies which the Emperor winked at and answered The Emperor winks at it and flouts the Christians with their required patience the Christians when they complained It is your part when you have injuries offered you to take it patiently for so your God commanded you At Maris in Phrygia Amachius the Governor commanded the Cap. 13. A notable attempt of three Christians in Maris in Phrygia on the Idols Temple Idols Temple to be set wide open and to be cleansed and set himself to the worshipping of the Idols which pricked not a little in Conscience saith the History the zealous Christians wherefore Macedonius Theodulus and Tatianus brake in the night season into the Temple threw down their Idols and stamped them into ponder at which when the Governor was exceeding wroth and threatned to execute divers of the Citizens the men aforesaid presented themselves who were the Authors thereof that the They present themselves to death lest the guiltless should die guiltless of that Act might not suffer and chose to die themselves for the Truth The Governour commanded them to clear themselves by Sacrifice threatning severely to punish them if they did it not They set nought by his threats and made themselves ready Endure all kind of torments the Gridiron and are broyled to death to suffer The Governor when he had assayed them with all kind of torments last of all set them on the Gridiron and caused fire to be made under and broiled them to death and to the end that they might gloriously encounter saith the History under the glorious Garland of Victory they reasoned thus with the Governor If thou long O Amachius after broyled meat turn up the Their noble Speech on the Gridiron other side of us lest in the eating we seem raw unto thee and the blood run about thy teeth Onward in his Journey towards the Persians the Emperor proceeded Cap. 15. Julian in his expedition against the Persians is derided at Antioch with his long thrum Beard when he had from the Christians heaped up a great sum of money and came to Antioch where the people derided him with his long thrum beard and bad him make halters thereof when he had for the advantage of his Souldiers put down the rates of the Market so playing upon him which he to be revenged of them for the flouting of his Beard answered in an Oration which He avenges it in an Oration he called Antiochian or Misopogon wherein he defamed the City of Antioch for ever He got him also to the Oracle of Apollo at Daphne a little from Cap. 16. Attends the Oracle of Apollo The Devil would not speak He interprets the cause to the Body of Babilas removes it Antioch But the Devil saith the History whose dwelling was in that Den would give the Emperor no answer The Emperor supposing the cause to be the body of Babylas the Martyr which lay there caused his Tomb to be removed thence with speed The Christians of Antioch hearing of this they assembled together their Men Women and Children they rejoyce and are The Christians rejoyce with Songs Julian is plagued determines to do as had Dioclesian glad and sing Psalms in reproof or derision of the Heathen god and such as worshipped Images which plagued the Emperor who thereby discovered his inward mind determined to torment the Christians as Dioclesian had before but his expedition against the His expedition hinders Orders these Christians punishment Persians
Superior and Inferior Reason Augustinus nominat rationem superiorem inferiorem superior ratio est lumen humanae naturae quasi vis dictans praescribens divina aeterna mere honesta Ut cum Conscientia dixit peccatum hoc est fugiendum dictamen rationis ponit causum quia hoc peccatum offendit Deum quia turpe est contra naturae Legem quia hominis natura indignum est cum Conscientia dicit hoc justum opus est faciendum dictamen ponit rationem quia hoc justum opus praecipit Deus quia est pulchrum quia est homine dignissimum The Superior is the Light of humane nature as it were a power dictating or prescribing divine eternal meerly honest things As when Conscience saith This sin is to be avoided the Dictatorship or Authoritativeness puts the cause why Such a sin offends God because it is filthy and contrary to the Law of Nature because it is unworthy of or unbecoming the nature of man Conscience saith This just work is to be done the Dictamen or Authoritativeness puts or gives the reason because God hath commanded this just work because it 's beautiful because it 's most worthy or becoming a man Justin Martyr in his defence to Antoninus saith thus (h) Porro ab justio Deus genus humanum ita creavit ut intelligentia praeditum esset arbitrii liberil potestate delectum tum vera consertandi tum bene agendi obtineret Uno circa excusatione nulla defendi possunt mortales apud Deum rationales enim ad contemplationem oppositi per eam creati Moreover God at first so created man that he was indued with understanding and obtained choice in the power of his free will as well to follow after true things as to do well wherefore mortals by no excuse can defend themselves before God or are left without excuse for he made them reasonable and fit to contemplate And in his Triphon he saith (i) Volens namque Deus Angelos Homines per liberum arbitrii delectum suae quemque esse potestatis ut quisque quae pro virili sua parte posset faceret tales cos creavit quo placita sibi si deligissent a corruptione poena omnis liberi conservarentur sin maligne agerent sicuti visum illi esset quisquis torqueretur Ac condidit Deus homines ut si vitam ipsius volunta ī attemperarent cum illo degerent regnarentque impatibiles immortales For God willing that every one both Angels and Men should be at their own liberty by the free choice of their will he so created them that every one might do what he would if they chuse those things pleasing to him they should be kept free from corruption and punishment but if they did wickedly he would punish them as he pleased God so created man that if they ordered this life to his will with him they should dwell and reign impatible or unchangeable and immortal Hillary also against Auxentius writeth thus The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted and lamentable it is to see the great folly of these times and to sigh at the foolish Opinion of this World in that men think by humane aid to help God and with worldly pomp and power to undertake to defend the Christian Church I ask you Bishops What help used the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospel With the aid of what power did they preach Christ and converted the Heathen from their idolatry to God When they were imprisoned and lay in chains did they praise and give thanks to God for any Dignities Graces or Favours received from the Court Or do you think that Paul went about with Regal Mandates or Kingly Authority to gather and establish the Church of Christ Sought he protection from New Vespasian c. The Apostles wrought with their hands for their own maintenance travelling by Land and Water from Town to City to preach Christ yea the more they were forbidden the more they taught and preached Christ But now alas Humane help must assist and protect the Faith and give the same countenance to and by vain and worldly honours do men seek to defend the Church of Christ as if he by his power were unable to perform it And against Arius he saith The Church now which formerly by enduring misery and imprisonment was known to be a true Church doth now terrifie others by imprisonment banishment and misery and boasteth that she is highly esteemed of the World whereas the true Church cannot but be hated of the same Tertullian against Scapula again writes this It agreeth both with humane equity and natural reason that every man worship God uncompelled and believe what he will for another mans Religion or belief neither hurteth any nor profiteth any man neither beseemeth it any Religion to compel another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be embraced and not by constraint forasmuch as the offerings were required of those that freely and with a good will offered and not from the contrary Jerom in his Proemium upon Jeremiah Book the fourth saith Heresie must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit all Sons and Disciples of misled Hereticks let us strike through with the Arrows of the Spirit that is with the Testimonies of Holy Scriptures the slaughter of Hereticks is by the Word of God Brutius on 1 Cor. 3. saith No man hath power to make urging Laws to Christians whereby to bind their Consciences for willingly freely and uncompelled with a ready desire and chearful mind must those that come run unto Christ Luther in his Book of the Civil Magistrate saith The Laws of Civil Government extend no further than on the Body or Goods and to that which is External for over the Soul God will not suffer any man to rule only he himself will rule therefore wheresoever the Civil Magistrate doth undertake to give Laws to the Soul and Consciences of men he usurpeth that Government to himself which appertaineth to God Again 1 Kings 6. in building of the Temple there was no sound of Iron heard to signifie that Christ will have in his Church a free and willing people not compelled and constrained by Laws and Statutes Again upon Luke 22. he saith It is not the true Catholick Church that is defended by the secular Arm or humane Power but the false and feigned Church which although it carries the name of a Church yet it denies the power thereof Again upon Psalm 17. he saith The true Church of Christ knoweth no Brachium Seculare or Secular Arm which the Bishops now adayes chiefly use Again in his Postil of the first Sunday after the Epiphany he saith If the Civil Magistrate would command me to believe thus or thus I would answer him after this manner Lord or Sir look you unto your Civil or Worldly Government your power extends not so far to command any thing
in Gods Kingdom therefore herein I may not hear you for if you cannot suffer any man should usurp authority where you have to command how do you think God should suffer you to thrust him from his Seat and to set your self therein The Puritans so called in their Answer to the Admonition to the Parliament in King James his time page 109. say The Papists nor others neither constrainedly nor customarily communicate in the Mysteries of Salvation And in their supplication printed 1609. pag. 21. c. they write much for Tolleration The Papists so called are quoted in a Book intituled Persecution for Religion condemned c. printed 1615 and 1620. and reprinted 1662. wherein are also many of the things aforesaid I say they are quoted to have written in a Book of theirs about that time published relating to the Oath of Allegiance c. then put viz. in the dayes of King James after this manner Moreover the means which Almighty God appointed his Officers to use in the Conversion of Kingdoms and People was Humility Patience Charity c. saying Behold I send you as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Mat. 10. 16. He did not say I send you as Wolves among Sheep to kill imprison to spoyl and devour these unto whom they were sent Again vers 7. he saith They to whom I send you will deliver you up to Councels and in their Synagogues they will scourge you and to Presidents and Kings shall you be led for my sake He doth not say You whom I send shall deliver the people whom you ought to convert unto Councels and to put them in Prisons and lead them to Presidents and Tribunal Seats and make their Religion Felony and Treason Again he saith vers 12. When ye enter into the House salute it saying Peace be unto this House He doth not say Ye shall send Pursevants to ransack and spoyl the House Again he saith John 10. The good Pastor giveth his life for his Sheep The Thief cometh not but to steal kill and destroy He doth not say The Thief giveth his Life for his Sheep and the good Pastor cometh not but to steal kill and destroy c. The same Book viz. Persecution for Religion condemned c. saith of Stephen King of Poland that he should say I am King of Men not of Consciences a Commander of Bodies and not of Souls And that the King of Bohemia had thus written viz. Notwithstanding the success of the latter times wherein sundry Opinions have been hatched about the Subject of Religion may make one clearly discern with his eye and as it were touch with his finger that according to the verity of holy Scripture and a Maxime heretofore held and maintained by the Antient Doctors of the Church That mens Consciences ought in no sort to be violated urged or constrained and whensoever men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret means the issue hath been pernicious and the cause of great and wonderful innovations in the principallest and mightiest Kingdoms and Countreys of all Christendom c. And further saith that Book he saith So that once more we do protest before God and the whole World that from this time forwards we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or violated any person whatsoever for matter of Religion no not they that profess themselves to be of the Roman Church neither to trouble or disturb them in the exercise of their Religion so they live conformable to the Laws of the States c. William Greenhil of this day in his Exposition on the 11th of Ezech. page 424. saith You know who said In the things of the mind we look for no compulsion but that of Light and Reason He is of the Independants so called And Epictetus that famous Philosopher in his Dissertations collected by Arrians Book 1. Chap. 14. thus saith a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When ye have shut your Gates and made darkness within that is to say are retired do not say that ye are alone for ye are not alone but God is within and your genius or the Principle of God what need have they of light to see to do as much as to say God and the Principle of him see what you do And Aristotle to add no more in the 5th Book of Ethicks chap. 8. saith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man acts justly or unjustly as he acts freely but when constrainedly he doth neither justly nor unjustly but by accident And so I have done with Alexander Henderson and these Doctors and the Book and Papers of the late King and these sayings of the Antient having through all convinced in their very words or their very words holding forth the Principles of the People called Quakers as I have in the words of others in preceding Generations if so be that yet men will reflect or take a view of Truth as it looks through their own Glass though they will not take it in anothers I shall now bring it through the Protestant Religion or that on which the name Protestant is grounded and some few more instances of the Ages that are past and so conclude this my long yet necessary tract of these things which are so eminent and fit to be considered John Milton in his Treatises of the power of the Civil Magistrate in causes Ecclesiastical hath excellently pitched the bottom of this matter It cannot be denied saith he being the main foundation of our Protestant Religion That we of these Ages having no divine Rule or Authority from without us warrantable to one another as a common ground but the Holy Scripture and no other within us but the illumination of the Holy Spirit so interpreting that Scripture as warrantable only to our selves and to such whose Consciences we can so perswade can have no other ground in matters of Religion but only from the Scriptures And these being not possible to be understood without this divine Illumination which no man can know at all times to be in himself much less to be at any time for certain in any other it follows clearly that no man or body of men in these times can be the infallible Judges or determiners in matters of Religion to any other mens Consciences but their own And again saith he with good cause therefore it is the general consent of all sound Protestant Writers That neither Traditions Councels nor Canons of any visible Church much less Edicts of any Magistrates or Civil Session but the Scripture onely can be the final Judge or Rule in matters of Religion and that only in the Conscience of every Christian to himself Which protestation saith he made by the first publick Reformers of our Religion against the Imperial Edicts of Charles the fifth imposing Church Traditions without Scripture gave the first beginning of the name Protestant and with that name hath ever been received this Doctrine which prefers the