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cause_n	good_a	great_a	world_n	3,255	5	4.3685	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91881	John the Baptist, forerunner of Christ Iesvs: or, A necessity for liberty of conscience, as the only meanes under heaven to strengthen children weake in faith; to convince hereticks mis-led in faith; to discover the gospel to all such as yet never heard thereof; and establish peace betweene all states and people throughout the world; according unto which, were both our Saviours commission, and the apostles practice for the propagation of it peaceably: as appeares most evidently by sundry Scriptures digested into chapters, with some observations at the end of every one; most humbly devoted to the use and benefit of all such as are zealously inquisitive after truth; piously disposed to imbrace it, and constantly resolved to practice it in their lives and conversations; to the honour of God, the edifying of their brethren, and their owne salvation unto eternity. The contents of the chapters follow in the next leaf. This is licenced, but not permitted to be entred according to order.	Robinson, Henry, 1605?-1664?	1644 (1644)	Wing R1673; Thomason E9_13; ESTC R15393	119,971	135

I will onely answer that these are all but feares and jealousies of moortall men at best which may not be put in competition much lesse make void our Saviours 〈◊〉 and Pauls practice both which proceeded from the infallible Spirit of God for preaching of the Gospel freely which whilest it was practised in the Primitive times proved so successefull and amongst other blessed effects wrought so powerfully upon their spirits as that we finde not a few onely but even all that beleeved had all things common who selling their goods and poss●…ssions parted them to all men as they had need Act. 2.44 45 Doe we thinke the Apostles or other Ministers could want amongst Christians that were thus all of one minde no man saying that any thing was his owne which he possessed Act 4.32 Or doe we distrust Gods providence and thinke his O●dinances have not the same blessings both spirituall and temporall accompanying them ●f wee be alike faithfull in submitting unto them o● if a Minister which truly laboureth in the Gospel shall really want maintenance may hee betake himselfe to requiring it by compulsive meanes ●r else not preach at all or preach unwillingly for which he has no p●…sident in Scripture neglecting Pauls example who wrought with his owne hands that he might make the Gospel without charge and yet thinke to share reward with Paul in heaven 1 Cor. 9.17.18 hee may ste●le as well for 't is a robbing them of that Gospel which was directed to them if he withhold it totally set such a price on it or in such a manner as God never gave commission and though he escape on earth his finnes will follow after him to judgement 1 Tim. 5.24 He that walketh in darknesse knoweth not wh●…ther he goeth Iohn 12.35 he may be in hell before he be aware Since then light is come into the world let us not be found to love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.19 the Bpidemicall corruption throughout all Christendome of mens thrusting thems●lves into the Ministery meerly to m●ke a g●ine thereof which Paul disavowed 2 Cor. 12.17 and not sincerely for the Gospels sake For as it cannot be denied but such are more swayed with the love of lucre than of Christ so is it an undoubted cause that their endeavours ever since have proved so unprofitable unto the people still remaining for the most part without any power of godliness secure in ignorance dead in sin whereas we observed before the great successefulnes wherewith God was pleased to bless the contrary practice in the Apostles times and i● yet we sh●ll apply ourselves to follow them in this particular God can no more be wanting to second us with a blessing than to deny himselfe in suffering his owne Ordinances to be in●ff●ctuall injurious to his people and prejudiciall to his Gospels cause Oh let us try our good God herein before wee cen ure Him of unfaithfulnesse and the Lord in much mercy prevent that this temptation remaine no more amongst us to the great scandall of our Brethren of Scotland and other Protestant Churches not without great sh●me unto our selves in this world and imminent danger of rifing up against us in the world to come FINIS CHAP. III. Christs Instructions and the Apostles practice for tendring and holding forth the Gospel only in a peaceable way MAtth. 12.19 Christ shall not strive nor cry neither shall they heare his voyce in the streets a brused reed shall he not broake and smoaking slax shall he not quench untill he send forth judgement unto victory Matth. 8.3 4. and C. 9.1 And the whole City of the Gargasenes came out to meet Jesus and when they saw him they be sought him that he would depart out of their coasts And he entred into a ship and passed over and came into his owne City Luke 9.52.53.56 Jesus sent messengers before his face into a village of the Samaritanes to make ready for him and they did not receive him And they went to another village Luke 3.16.17 One mightier then I commeth whose fan is in his hand and be will throughly purge his flore and will gather the wheat into his garner but the chaffe he will burng with fire unquenchable Joh 12.47 48. If any man heare my words and beleeve them not I judge him not for I am not to judge the world he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Luke 10.5 6.10 11. Into whatsoever house you enter say Peace be to this house and if the Son of peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall returne to you againe If they receive you not goe your wayes out into the streets of the same and say even the dust of the City which cleaveth on us we doe wipe off against you as a witnesse c. Act. 13.50.51 The Jewes expelled Paul and Barnabas out of their coasts but they shooke off the dust from of their feet against them and came unto Iconium C. 16.39.40 The Magistrates besought Paul and Silas and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the City And they went out of the prison and entred into the house of Lydia and when they had seen the brethren they comforted them and departed C. 18 6.7 And when the Jewes opposed themselves and blasphemed Paul shooke his raiment and said unto them your bloud be upon your owne heads I am cleane from henceforth I will goe unto the Gentiles and hee departed thence c. Psal 50.16.17 God said unto the wicked what hast thou to doe to take my Covenant into thy mouth since thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee Matth. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast your pearles before swine lest they trample them under your feet C. 15.26 It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast unto dogs Act. 2.41 They that gladly received the word were baptised Rom. 1● 34. Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath been his counseller C. 14 4. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his owne master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is Spirituall discerneth all things yet he himselfe i● judged of no man C. 4.5 Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse Tit. 1.7 A Bishop must not be soone angry no striker 2 Tim. 2.24,25,26 A servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the divell 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I Paul obtained mercy that Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering

dye in Popery were it not for that execrable tyranny and dominion which by force of the Civill sword they practise upon the consciences of men We know what Peter said to Simon Magus because he thought the Holy Ghost could be purchased with money Act. 8.20 and may we not justly thinke their sinne to be greater who conceive that faith may be beat into men with blowes surely if Simon had been of this beleefe he would have chose to save his money and rather have beaten the Apostles to death unlesse they had given him the Holy Ghost The Presbyterians seem to pretend no other then spirituall jurisdiction and the utmost bounds thereof to be excommunication disclaiming all coercive power which they leave unto the Civill Magistrate a goodly office indeed as some would have it to be executioners of such as the Presbytery shall point at as designed for the correction or slaughter-house But doe the Papists persecute or put Gods Saints to death in any other manner surely they are altogether as choice and dainty not to foule their owne singers therewith and as politicke in deluding ignorant people lest they should seeme to be men of blood but will this excuse them thinke we in the dreadfull day of judgement or shall that servant be ever a whit the more approved because he promised to keep his masters hests and did not Nay did not the Jewes say It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Joh. 18.31 but yet because they sought to take hold of our Saviours words and so deliver him to the power and authority of the Governour Luke 20.20 the Blessed Spirit by Steven tells them that they were betrayers and murderers of Christ and Peter sayes they had crucified and slaine him Act. 2.23 c. 7.52 Deare Brethren of the Presbytery bethinke your selves a little I beseech you in the love of God nay judge your selves that you be not judged 1 Cor. 11.31 can your proceedings according to the orders and government which you acknowledge justifie you for that which you condemne in Papists or will they make you lesse accessory to the perplexing fining imprisoning banishing and murdering Christians then the Papist who manage their Inquisition in the selfe same manner then the very Jewes who confessed they had no Law for it they might not put any man to death but proceeded and dealt with the Civill Magistrate just as you doe in crucifying of our Saviour and his Saints Act. 25.24 Pilate you know washed his hands Mat. 27.24 and said hee found no fault in Jesus Luke 23.4 bidding the Jewes judge him according to their Law Joh. 18.31 yet they though the chiefe Priests and Pharisces would willingly have killed him but that they feared the people Luke 22.2 doe now in policie refuse this hatefull office and deliver him up to the power and authority of the governour Luke 20.20 But you 'l say perhaps you doe not deliver men up unto the Powers the Civill Magistrate to be corporally punished and put to death to which I answer That such a Civill Magistrate must either doe such justice according to the judgement of the Presbytery and so be your executioners only or else be able to judge of good doctrine and heresie better then the Presbytery and have power when they see cause to judge and doe execution in point of heresie or the like upon the Presbyters themselves which yet claime to be the only competent judge thereof or last of all if the Civill Magistrate cannot better judge of heresies then the Presbytery then are they no fit judges thereof being expedient that such only should be judges thereof that are best qualified for such a charge But may it not be feared the Civill Magistrate is so observant to comply with the Presbytery in this respect that every little notice or advertisement may possibly prove too powerfull a temptation to them to punish and put men to death sometimes against their consciences when their judgements doe not concur therein but only in observance to the Presbytery as Pilate did in passing sentence against our Saviour because he would be thought a friend to Caesar and gratifie the J●wes Joh. 19.12.13.16 and unlesse our Brethren of the Presbytery have the Spirit of infallibility how can they be more certaine then the Papists or Jewes in crucifying againe our Saviour in his Saints But lest such as offend against the Civill Magistrate should hence assume encouragement let them take notice that we have not only expresse warrant for punishing and putting Civill offenders to death but are directed by God Himselfe how we should proceed therein The Law sayes at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death but at the mouth of one witnesse he shall not be put to death Deut. 17.6 yet this was matter of fact and though the witnesses should prove false yet were the Magistrates cleere in the sight of God because it is his owne Ordinance But if a man should say he is of this or that hereticall opinion where finde we that two witnesses shall condemne him or that the Magistrate can be cleare for passing sentence if the witnesses were corrupt or if a man acknowledge that he were of such an opinion and conceived he were bound to be so upon perill of his damnation talk to others thereof with their consent out of the abundance of his owne heart Mat. 12.34 where finde we commission for tormenting of his body for his conscience sake or because he discoursed with his neighbour with such harmlesse words and matter as his owne heart was able to furnish him withall as not having power of other mens Oh! let us be wary of claiming such coercive power which doth not only tempt but necessarily engage us to the offending of Christs little ones otherwise as our Saviour threatned the Jews therewith we must inevitably become accessory and guilty not only of all the blood shed from righteous Abel to Zacharias the son of Barachias but of all the Saints which have been or shall be martyred from the beginning of the world unto the end because it was and will be still shed by no other principles then what we our selves approve of and practise Matth. 23.34.35 Luke 11.48 John in his Revelation directs himselfe unto the 7 Churches of Asia Rev. 1.4 and though he takes occasion to finde fault rebuke and threaten them with severest judgements yet he layes not the blame upon any Metropolitan or other Churches which might have had superiority over them but taxes every one in particular which would have been a great error unlesse the whole blame had lain upon themselves or that they had not the sole power under Christ of redressing such errors as are there mentioned and yet if such subordination of Churches had beene necessary nay if it had beene but expedient or any waies conducing to the edifying of those Saints in particular or building up the whole mysticall

into the prisons reply Paul thou liest thou art wilfully malicious and reprobately obstinate Oh! let them bring it home unto their owne hearts and consider whether many poore Brethren who never flew so high as Pauls extravagancies but only differ from them in some few opinions which yet like enough will agree together in Heaven may not be interpreted to continue in them meerly out of conscience and whether if Paul a vessell of election so fiercely persecuted the Saints of Iesus they themselves so much inferiour gifted in comparison of Paul may not have been subject to the same temptation 1 Cor. 10.13 and plunged into the selfe same errour Oh that God of his infinite goodnesse would be pleased to sanctifie the thought thereof and worke them to sobriety A man that wanteth judgement the more zealous he is the more hee resembleth one gone astray that hath lost himselfe in some by-paths who the longer or the faster that he goeth is still more out of his way and has the farther to returne againe and yet I dare not say that it is better to have no zeale then to be in some smaller measure zealous in a bad cause for he that hath no zeale at all can never have it in a good cause and perhaps it may be observed that such as have none are at best but luke-warme Laodiceans Which God will spue out of his mouth Rev. 3.16 and even the best Christians zeale at first does most commonly exceed their knowledge but what I chiefly aime at is that we be not rashly carried away by every breath of zeale without examining whence it springs and whereunto it tends This avoyding and withdrawing of our selves from such as walke inordinately and will not obey the word is the last meanes and utmost extent of power except miraculous which our Saviour left to his Apostles and they unto the Church successively for government of his people if any take it to be too remisse or milde doe not such make themselves wiser then God conceiving better of their owne fancies then his Ordinances t is no marvell if they both seeme and prove ineffectuall to such as have so little faith in them is not this to distaste Gods government because hee does not rule us with a rod of iron full wanton are we that thus grow sicke of His clemencie and gentlenesse importuning him farre more foolishly then did the Israelites that he would give them a King to reigne over them although that Samuel by Gods expresse command imparted to them how cruell and tyrannous a King would prove 1 Sam. 8. yet the Israelites might be thought thus engaged as overswayed with novelty and a vehement desire to be like other Nations as not having had the experience of a Regall power themselves v. 20. But we who have so long together and even so lately felt the Spirituall bondage of Episcopacie which yet we are not freed from neither are notwithstanding not much unlike to people suddenly waked out of a deep sleep by the hideous crying of fire fire whose eyes being dazled with the sight thereof and their understandings furprised with the near approach forth with cast themselves downe staires or out at window to their destruction which in appearance might have beene prevented had they been but throughly wakened and kept their wits about them in like manner we having beene so tyrannized over by the Bishops our consciences enthralled by their Canons and our persons hunted up and downe and baited by their Courts and Beagles in such an intolerable manner being quite tired out are apt to thinke a bart exchange will eas●us and so without examining safficiently what it was which enabled the Bishops to torment us conceiving we have now gained a full opportunity are desirous in all haste to be enthralled againe to any body that will but for the present secure us from the first captivity Deare Countrymen and Brethren let not me though the meanest of you all be thought presumptuous if with some importunity I beg of you as you value the quiet and welfare of three Kingdomes hope that other Nations may be from thence enlightned with purer and clearer beames of the most pretious Gospel to consider only whether if Bishops had wanted a coercive power they could possibly have prevailed so farre against the Saints and saving truths of Jesus Christ whether the same sovereignty and power be not as effectuall I forbeare to say farre more to bring a people unto Popery Turcisme or any other Religion except the right and for such as must be whipt into the faith whether so many lashes more will not easily whip them out againe If this be so as surely it cannot be denied by men of reason why doe we not free our selves for ever in stead of seeking ease only for the present what meane we then to take this sword or staffe of Sovereignty from the hand of one Metropolitan usurper to put it into many are not Presbyters men as well as Bishops are they not all subject to the same passions and infirmities Act. 14.15 may not a power to punish and persecute others tempt them as well as Bishops to satisfie their owne lust and affections and being many become a Hydra a brotherhood of iniquity may not they possibly erre as well as Bishops and being many prove more confident and obstinate in imposing such errours upon subordinate Churches by force of their coercive jurisdiction t was miraculous for Aarons rod to bud but this which you put into the Presbyters hands will naturally of its own disposition sprout out so fast and furnish rods enough as in stead of the exchangers which defiled the Temple may quickly whip Gods best servants out of Country Corruptio optimi est pessima If a Presbytery grow tyrannicall as by nature mankinde is prone to evill they have more heads to manage it then Episcopacie and so may become more formidable more remedilesse If then God shall by any meanes restore us to such a condition wherein we may enjoy a liberty of conscience to serve God according to his owne Ordinances if we our selves desire so to doe let us not give or sell our selves into such slavery as that it may be in the arme and power of others to say you shall not serve God at all or in any other manner then we approve of proscribe but this coercive power which else will infalliby drive God from us or us from his service in matters meerly of Religion and then you shall quickly see men will not be so ambitous of Christs crowne of thornes nor presse with so much carnall violence unto his Kingdome and then being cleere of such temptations as the importunate suiters of this Diana come laden with we shall be better able to judge indifferently after what manner Christ would have his servants governed Have not our prayers petitions and preparations beene all for Reformation has God suffered some hundred thousands of men to be slaine and three