came the same he taught and practised as begore so did his Apostles after him for the weapons of his warfare are not carnal c. 2 Cor. 10.4 But he charged strictly that his Disciples should be so far from persecuting those that would not be of their Religion that when they were persecuted they should pray Mat. 5. when they were cursed they should bless the reason is because they that are now Tares may hereafter become Wheat tehy who are now blind may hereafter see they that now resist him may hereafter receive him they that are now in the Devils snare in adversness to the Truth may hereafter come to repentance they that are now Blasphemers Persecutors Oppressors as Paul was may in time become Faithful as he they that are now Idolaters as the Corinths once were 1 Cor. 6.9 may hereafter become true worshippers as they they that are now no People of God nor under mercy as the Saints sometimes were 1 Pet. 2.20 may hereafter become the People of God and obtain mercy as they Some come not till the eleventh hour Mat. 20.6 if those that come not till the last hour should be destroyed because they came not at the first then should they never come but be prevented And why do men call themselves Christians and do not the things Christ would CHAP. 7. Persecution for cause of Conscience is against the profession and practice of famous Princes First we beseech your Majesty we may relate your own worthy Sayings in your Majesties Speech at Parliament 1609. Your Highness saith It is a sure Rule in Divinity that God never loves to plant his Church by violence and bloodshed c. And in your Highness Apol. pag. 4. speaking of such Papists as took the Oath thus I gave a good proof that I intended no persecution against them for Conscience cause but only desired to secured for civil obedience which for Conscience cause they were bound to perform And pag. 60. speaking of Blackwel the Arch-Priest your Majesty saith It was never my intention to lay any thing to the said Arch-Priests charge as I have never done to any for cause of Conscience c. And in your Highness Expos on Revel 20. printed 1588 and after 1603. your Majesty truly writeth thus Sixtly The compassing of the Saints and besieging of the beloved City declareth unto us a certain note of a false Church to be Persecution For they come to seek the Faithful the Faithful are those that are sought the Wicked are the besiegers the Faithful be besieged Secondly the saying of Stephen King of Poland I am King of men not of Consciences a Commander of bodies not of Souls c. Thirdly the King of Bohemia hath thus written And notwithstanding the success of the later time 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 ancient 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 Innovasions in the principallest and mightiest Kingdoms and Countries of all Christendom c. And further his Majesty saith So that once more we do protest before God and the whole world that from this time forward we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whosoever 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. And for the practice of this Where is Persecution for cause of Conscience except in England and where Popery reigns and not there neither in all places as appeareth by France Poland and other places Nay it is not practised among the Heathen that acknowledge not the true God as the Turk Persian and others CHAP. 8. Persecution for cause of Conscience is condemned by the ancient and later Writers yea by Puritans and Papists HIllary against Anxentius saith 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 of 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 and 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 Nero Vespatian 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 The same against the Arians The Church now which formerly by enduring Misery and Imprisonment was known to be a true Church doth now terrific 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 Tertul. ad Scapul 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 Blief neither hurteth nor profiteth any man neither beseemeth it any Religion to compel another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be imbraced and not by constraint for asmuch as the Offerings were required of those that freely and with a good will offered and not from the contrary Jerom. in Proaem lib. 4. in Jeremiam Heresie must be cut off with the sword of the Spirit Let us strike through with the arrows of the Spirit all sons and disciples of misled Hereticks that is with testimonies of holy Scriptures The slaughter of Hereticks is by the Word of God Brentius on 1 Cor. 3. No man hath power to make or give 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 The Laws of the Civil Government
may be in short I demand of you what Covenant the Lord meanthe here It must be granted he meaneth either the Covenant of the Land of Canaan with all the Promises thereof or the Covenant of Christs coming of his lyons concerning the flesh or else the Covenant of Life and Salvation by Christ one of these three it must needs be Let me have your Answer or any mans hereto Indif The first and second cannot be pleaded therefore it must be the third namely Life and Salvation by Christ Ch. VVell then I demand Have the fleshly Children of the Faithfull more priviledge to Life and Salvation than the Faithful themselves Indif No I think it cannot be said Ch. VVell then I affirm that the Faithful have right to this Covenant of Life and Salvation only upon their Repentance and Faith and not otherwise and so have their Children and not otherwise except you will say they have greater priviledge thatn the Faithful or else that they have Life and Salvation by their Parents Faith or else that they have right and title to it whether they repent and believe or no. If any say they have right and title to it by Gods Promise I answer God hath promised Life and Salvation by Christ to none that are under Condemnation but only by Repentance and Faith let any shew the contrary if they be able If any say as some foolishly have done being urged That it is the Covenant of the visible Church what Covenant is that but the Covenant of Life and Salvation made to the Faithfull Christ Body and Church And therefore seeing they are so confounded herein some teaching one thing and some another some that Infants have neither Faith nor Repentance but by vertue of the Covenant made to their Parents Others teach that Repentance and Faith is to be performed of every one that is to be baptised and that Infants may repent and believe by their Sureties till they come to age themselves Seeing I say they are thus confounded herein having nothing in Christs perfect Testament only some shew of a forged consequence and also that they agree not amongst themselves Let us take heed of prophaning the Lords holy Ordinance administring it where he hath not commanded Many other things might be said but this may suffice seeing much is already written and more may be ere long knowing they have nothing to say but their several conceits Indif I praise God you have given me great satisfaction in these things What must we do after our Baptism Ch. As the Saints our predecessors did They that glady received the Word were baptized and they continued in the Apstles doctrine fellowships breaking of bread and prayers Acts 2. walking in fear towards God and in love in word and deed one towards another according to the blessed rules in Christs Testament and also justly and unblamably towards all men that they may cause their Conversation aswell as their Doctrine to shine before men that men may see their good works and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven without the which conversation all profession is nothing Indif It is a great stumbling-block to many that divers who profess Religion walk corruptly in their conversation it is a great cause that the wicked open their mouthes against Gods Truth Ch. Alas it is most lamentable but Gods People must know it hath been and will be so unto the end of the world And therefore Christ Jesus hath appointed means for the redressing thereof in his Church Mat. 18. and 1 Cor. 5 c. And we may not justifie or condemn any Religion whatsoever by mens personal walkings May we say the Religion of the Philosophers was good because of their moral vertues or that the Religion that Judah and David professed was evil because of Judahs Incest and Davids Adultery and Murder Gen. 38. 2. Sam. 11. or the Religion of Christ evil because that one that professed it fell into Incest I Cor. 5. Gods People had need to take heed of sinning whereby to cause the adversaries to blaspheme for the which God may make them examples to all succeeding ages Ind. I give you hearty thanks for your pains with me in these things and I trust I shall not let them slip but remember them all may life and put them in practice Ch. The glory and thanks thereof only belongeth to God for to him it is due but this I desire you to consider that the knowing of the Will of God without practising of it doth us rather hurt than good the Scripture saith Not the knowers but the doers are justified Rom. 2.13 Jam. 1.12 And He that knows his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Many there be in this Nation with grief of soul I speak it that acknowledge and confess the Truth but praclise it not for some respects or other the Lord Perswade all your hearts to the speedy practice thereof and that by many examples that are left unto you David that man of God saith I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Psal 119.60 The Disciples Mat. 4. immediately without tarrying followed Christ The three thousand the same day they were informed obeyed the Lord and were baptized Acts 2. The Samaritans Acts 8.12 assoon as they believed were baptized both men and women The Eunuch likewise ver 38. The Jaylor Lydia Paul and a cloud of witnesses communing not with flesh and blood but obeyed the Lord assoon as they believed Here was no staying to hear what this and that learned man could say against it as now a dayes but as they were confidently perswaded thereof they obeyed And so I am assured it shall be by little and little as the kingdom of the Beast diminisheth Indif I hope I shall testifie to all my speedy walking in the steps of these holy men but one thing there is yet which bath much troubled me and others and in my judgment hat much hindred the growth of Godliness in this Kingdom and that is That many so soon as they see or fear trouble will ensue they flie into another Nation who cannot see their conversation and there by deprive many poor ignorant souls in their own Nation of their information and of their conversation amongst them Ch. Oh! that hath been the overthrow of Religion in this Land the best able and greater part being gone and leaving behind them some few who by the others departure have had their afflictions and contempt increased which hath been the cause of many falling back and of the adversaries exalting But they will tell us we are not to judge things by the effects therefore we must prove that their flight unlawful or we say nothing And frist Whereas it is said by some of these flyers that many of the People of God fled into forreign Countries and that God gave approbation thereof as Moses David our Saviour Christ in his infancy and other thinking hereby to justifie this their
and 6.6 8. the Wisdom of God therein teaching that the Forehead and Hand are the apparantest parts of the body to the view of all men so that to receive the Mark in the Forehead or Hand is to make manifest Profession of him we obey The sum of all which is that whosoever openly professeth obedience and subjection to that spiritual cruel power of Rome the Beast or to that spiritual cruel power of England his Image wheresoever they or either of them are exalted such a one and such persons shall drink of the Wine of Gods wrath and be tormented in fire and brimstone and shall have no rest day nor night for evermore Indif Your description of the Beast the Papists will deny so will the English Lord Bishops and their followess deny your description of his Image but thousands will grant both and some will deny both as the Familists who say that Religion standeth not in outward things and therefore they will submit to any outward service and they that do not so but suffer persecution say they are justly persecuted Ch. Those Enemies to the Cross of Christ are most of them not worth information because for the most part they are such as do with an high hand sin after enlightning having forsaken the way wherein they walked because they would not bear Christs Cross but in that some simple souls may be seduced by them let us a little in general compare their Opinion with the Scriptures True it is that Religion standeth not only in outward things for God requireth the heart and truth in the inward parts but that God requireth not our subjection upon fearful punishments to those outward Ordinances which he requireth is a doctrine of Devils as I shall prove And first for the outward Ordinances of the Old Testament which were meerly shadows and now are beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.16 what indignation the Lord had towards them that transgressed Nadab and Abihu offering strange fire which the Lord hath not commanded a fire went out from the Lord and destroyed them Levit. 10.1 2. The men of Bethshemesh looking into the outward Ark which God had forbidden the Lord slew fifty thousand and threescore and ten of them 1 Sam. 6.19 Vzza of a good intent leaning his shoulder to the same outward Ark which God forbad the Lord slew him I Chr. 13 7 10. Vzziah the King oftering up outward Incense which God commanded to be done only by the Priests Numb 18.3 7. the Lord smore him with Leprosie until his death 2 Chron. 26. Corah and his company what fearful Judgments came upon them though he a Levite for presuming to meddle with the Priests Office the Earth opening and swallowing them up Numb 16. King Saul likewise offering up Incense in time of need as he thought the Lord rent his Kingdom from him 1 Sam. 13. as also for his disobedience afterwards touching the fat of the Amalecks Cattel 1 Sam. 15. How often was the wrath of the Lord poured down upon them Israelites because of their transgression of his outward Ordinances in place person and things for it was a Law Lev. 17.3 4. That who so brought not his Sacrifice to the place viz. to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation but offered it up other where blood should be imputed to that man and he should be cut off from among his People yea such Sacrifices were esteemed of God as offered to Devils ver 7. And the Lord caused them to pronounce Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them and all the people must say So be it Was God thus jealous of Moses's Ordinances and is he less jealous of Christs Must he dye that despiseth Moses Law and shall he escape that despiseth Christs upon what pretence soever And Christ saith It becometh him and all his to fulfil all Righteousness in outward Ordinances as washing with water Mat. 3.15 And whosoever saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments which are outward aswell as inward he is a lyar 1 Job 2.4 And whosoever breaks the least Commandment and teacheth men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.19 And whosoever will not hear that Prophet Christ Jesus in all things that he shall say unto them shall be destroyed out of his People Acts 3.22 23. The affections of the soul are to be manifested by the actions of the body according to Gods Word and all other good intents or affections are abominable We may not neither can we worship God with our spirits and the Devil with our bodies for we are bought with a price and therefore must not be the servants of men but must glorifie God with our bodies and with our spirits for they are his 1 Cor. 6.20 and 7.23 And this may suffice to satisfie any concerning the overthrow of this cursed Conceit knowing also that Christ and his Apostles and all his Disciples to the end of the world might and may live peaceably enough from Persecution if this Doctrine might be observed viz. Submission with our bodies to any outward service The Lord discover such Hypocrites Indif I bless God I have learned of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.8 to say nothing against the Truth but for the Truth and therefore when I see things are evidently manifested by the Scriptures am desirous to submit and not to cavil But you know it is pleaded they have the Word and Sacraments in the English Assemblies Ch. I confess they have the Scriptures in the which Gods Mysteries are contained which are locked up from them and revealed to his Saints Col. 1.26 which they wofully pervert to their own destruction They have also imitations of Gods Ordinances as Water Bread and Wine and other things which they use after their own inventions which things make them boast so much of their Christianity and of their Church which makes them reason thus We are Gods People for we have the Word and Sacraments The Philistims might better have reasoned 1 Sam. 5. who had the true Ark of God amongst them these have but a shew We are Gods People for we have Gods Ark and holy Oracles amongst us But I think they had no great cause to rejoyce thereof in the end No more shall these have in the end when God recompenceth all that withhold the Truth in unrighteousness Gods dealing is not now as it was of old he now reserveth punishment to the last day he is patient and would have men repent but they despise his bountifulness and long-suffering preaching peace when there is no peace Indif It cannot be denied but that the Ministers preach many excellent Truths and do bring people to much reformation in many things Ch. True it cannot be denied For if the Devil should come in his own likeness men would resist him but because he transformeth himself into an Angel of light therefore he deceiveth So his ministers if they should teach all lyes
flight I answer God preserved Moses and the rest in their flight till the time was come that he imployed them in his service then in no case he would suffer them to flie as when Moses manifested his exceeding backwardness to the Lords work in helping his People out of Bondage using many excuses the Lord was very angry with him Exod. 4.10 15. And whither out Saviour flie when the time came that he was to shew himself to Israel Luk. 1.80 If any of these men can prove the Lord requireth no work at their hands to be done for his Glory and the Salvation of thousands of ignorant souls in their own Nation let them stay in foreign Countries But I trust Gods People have learned not to say the time is not yet come that Babel should be destroyed and the Lords House builded but that the time is come to build the Lords House and not to dwell in ceiled houses Hag. 1. or any way to seek our outward promotion which if it be granted that the time is come not only to come out of Babel but to destroy her all these objections are nothing except they prove that when God called any of his People to his Work they left it for fear of trouble This doctrine was not approved of God when the time came that his Adversaries were to be rooted out and that his People had gotten some victory The Rubenites and the Gadites could have been content to have remained to their most peace and commodity Num 32. but Moses said unto them Shall your Brethren go to war and ye tarry here where fore now discourage ye the hearts of the Children of Israel c. sharply reproving them as an increase of sinful men risen upon their fathers steads still to augment the fierce wrath of the Lord and Moses would not be satisfied until they had promised that they would go with their Brethren to the Lords work and would not return to their houses till they had accomplished the same And the Angel of the Lord doth say Curse ye Meroz curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to help the Lord againsst the Mighty Judg. 5.23 Also because the men of Jabesh Gilead came not up to the Lord to help their Brethren against the wicked men of Gibeath all the men were destroyed and all the women that had lien by men Judg. 21.11 no excuse whatsoever could serve Did God thus respect his Work and People then as all must put to their helping hand and none must withdraw their shoulder lest others were discouraged and is there no regard to be had thereof now but any occasion as fear of a little Imprisonments or the like may excuse any both from the Lords work and the help of their Brethren that for want of their society and comfort are exceedingly weakned if not overcome If answer be made They perform their duty in both that they do the Lords work the pastor feeding his flock and the People walking in fellowship one towards another I demand Doth the Lord require no more work of them doth he not require that they should help to cast down Babel If reply be made They do it by their Books I answer That may be done and their Lights shine by their mouthes and conversations also among the wicked which is the greatest means of converting them and destroying Antichrists Kingdom They overcame not by flying away but by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12.11 Gods People are the Lights of the World a City set on a hill a Candle set on the candlestick giving light to all that come in Mat. 5 and therefore must shine by their Persons more than by their Books And great help and encouragement would it be to Gods People in affliction of Imprisonment and the like to have their Brethrens presernce to administer to their souls or bodies and for which cause Christ will say I was in Prison and ye visited me in Distress and ye comforted me and unto those that do not so according to their ability Go ye cursed Mat. 25. If men had greater love to Gods Commands or the Salvation of thousands of ignorant souls in our Nation that for want of instruction perish than to a little temporal affliction they would never publish nor practise as they do in this thing Thus have I in short shewed you my poor ability in these things And for all other things we hold as the lawfulness of Magistracy Gods blessed Ordinance And Christ our Saviour taking his flesh of the Virgin Mary by the wonderful work of the holy Ghost c. You may see them in our Confession in print published four years ago Indif Many that be called Anabaptists hold the contrary and many other strange things Ch. We cannot but lament for it so did many in Christs Churches in the primitive times hold strange opinions as some of the Corinths denyed the Resurrection and in many of the Seven Churches were grievous things which the Lord by his Servants warned them of upon pain of his displeasure and removing of his Presence from them nevertheless others professing the same general Cause of Christ were commended Indif Well you will yet be called Anabaptists because you deny Baptism to Infants Ch. So were Christians before us called Sects and so they may Iohn Baptist Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles Anabaptists for we profess and practise no otherwise herein than they namely The baptizing of such as confess with the mouth the belief of the heart And if they be Anabaptists that deny Baptism where God hath appointed it they and not we are Anabaptists But the Lord give them repentance that their sins may be put away and never laid to their charge even for his Christs sake Amen AN HUMBLE SUPPLICATION TO THE Kings Majesty As it was presented 1620. To the High and Mighty KING JAMES By the Grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland To the Right Excellent and Noble PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales c. To all the Right Hanorable NOBILITY Grave and Honorable JUDGES and to all other the Right Worshipful GENTRY of all Estates and Degrees assembled in this present Parliament Right High and Mighty Right Excellent Noble Right Honourable and Right Worshipful AS the Consideration of that divine Commandment of the King of kings Let Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty doth cause in us a daily practice thereof in our secret Chambers for you all as in duty we are bound of which the searcher of all hearts beareth us witness so let it be pleasing unto your Majesty and the rest in Authority that we make humble Supplications and Prayers to you for such our bodily miseries and wants as
are upon us in that it is in your power to redress them and especially at this present in this High Meeting assembled for the publick weal of all your loyal Subjects Our miseries are long and lingring Imprisonments for many years in divers Counties of England in which many have dyed and left behind them Widows and many small Children taking away our Goods and others the like of which we can make good probation not for any disloyalty to your Majesty nor hurt to any mortal man our Adversaries themselves being Judges but only because we dare not assent unto and practise in the Worship of God such things as we have not Faith in because it is sin against the Most High Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 as your Majesty well observeth in these words It is a good and safe Rule in Theology That in matters of the Worship of God Quod dubitas ne fereris according to Pauls rule Rom. 14.5 Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind Medit. on Lo. Prayer If we were in error herein these courses of afflicting our bodies for Conscience cause are not of Christ but of Antichrist as hereafter is most plainly shewed And if no Church be the Rule of Faith but only the holy Scriptures as the learned Protestants do truly confess and that therefore the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that all must believe as the Church believes and so practise or else be cruelly persecuted be most ungodly as it is then how can they avoid the like censure that practise the same thing contrary to their own Judgement For the learned Protestants do say it is high cruelty for the Papists to constrain them to practise those things in Gods Worship which they have not Faith in nay which they know to be evil with Imprisonment Fire and Faggot and therefore why may not we say it is great cruelty for the learned Prorestants to constrain us to practise such things in Gods Worship which we have not Faith in Nay which we certainly know to be evil with lingring Imprisonment loss of Goods and what other cruelties they can procure against us of your Majesty and the Civil State If your Learned say they have the Truth and we are in Errour that resteth to be tryed by the true Touchstone the holy Scriptures If they be our Judges the Verdict must needs go against us If their sayings be a safe Rule for us to be saved by we will rest upon them And then why may not the saying of the Papists be sure also and they be the Protestants Judges and so bring us all to believe as the Church believes The iniquity of which we have discovered as briefty as we could beseeching your Majesty and all that are in Authority to hear us It concerneth our eternal Salvation or Condemnation and is therefore of great importance for what can a man give for the ranfom of his Soul Oh he pleased to remember the saying of that great and good man Job chap. 29. I delivered the Poor that cryed and the Fatherless and him that had none to help him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the Widows heart to rejoyce I was a Father to the Poor and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the jaws of the unrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Our prayers are and shall be for you day and night to that God of glory by whom you reign and are advanced that He will pat it into your hearts to let these things enter into your thoughts and then we doubt not the evidence of them being such that you will be moved to repeal and make void all those cruel Laws which we most humbly beseech which persecute poor men only for matters of conscience not that we any way desire for our selves or others any the least liberty from the strict observation of any Civil Temporal or Humane Law made or to be made for the preservation of your Majesties Person Crown State or Dignity for all that give not to Caesar that which is his let them bear their burden but we only desire that God might have that which is his which is the heart and soul in that Worship that He requireth over which there is but one Lord Eph. 4.5 and one Law-giver who is able to save it or to destroy it Jam 4.12 which no mortal man can do It is not in your power to compel the heart you may compel men to be Hypocrites as a great many are who are false-hearted both towards God and the State which is sin both in you and them The vileness of persecuting the body of any man only for cause of Conscience is against the Word of God and Law of Christ It is against the profession of your Majesty against the profession and practice of famous Princes The antient and later approved Writers witness against it so do the Puritans yea the establishers of it the Papists themselves inveigh against it so that God and all men do detest it as is herein shewed And therefore in most humble manner we do beseech your Majesty your Highness your Honours your Worships to consider of it and do as God directeth you in his Word that cannot lye Let the Wheat and Tares grow together in the world until the harvest Matth. 13. And so in humble manner we proceed CHAP. I. The Rule of Faith is the Doctrine of the Holy Ghost contained in the Sacred Scriptures and not any Church Council Prince or Potentate nor any mortal man whatsoever PRoved by the Scriptures themselves which are the Writings of Moses and the Prophers the Evangelists and Apostles these are a sufficient Rule alone to try all Faith and Religion by our Reasons are 1. They are inspired of God and are able to make us wise unto salvation and perfect to every good work 2. Tim. 3.15 c. 2. Because these Writings are written that we might have certainly of the things whereof we are instructed Luke 1.4 That our joy might be full 1 Joh. 1.4 And that we might believe and in believing might have life John 20.31.3 We are commanded not to presame or be wise above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 For with this weapon Christ put to flight the Devil Mat. 4.4 And taught his Disciples Luke 24.27 46. And Paul taught Christ Jesus Acts 17.2 The Godly are commended for searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 All are commanded to search them John 5.39 And they that will not believe these Writings will not believe Christs Words John 5.47 nor one that should come from the Dead Luke 16.31 If any ask how we know all or any of these Scriptures to be inspired of God We answer The ear saith Job 12.11 discerneth words and the mouth tasteth meat for it self And as the eye discerneth the light of the Sun so doth our Spirit discern these Scriptures to be inspired of God and that for these
as Joh. 11.48 And because their fear towards God was taught by mens precepts and because they looked to their own way and to their own advantage and had rejected the Word of the Lord and because they builded their Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity and sought their own honour and not Gods as before is proved So the cause of the blindness of the learned Papists in denying the Scriptures the only Rule of Faith is not the obscurity of the Scriptures but their winding with their eyes lest they should see that that would bring them from their honours and profits and all the forenamed in the Jews And also as the Protestants well observe Whit. pag. 18. First That they might make themselves Judges in their own cause For who seeth not that if the Church be the Rule of Faith and their be the Church which way the verdict will go Next for that the greatest points of their Religion have no foundation on the Scriptures c. So that take away the Scriptures and establish their Religion but establish the Scriptures and their Religion vanisheth and that Mother of Whoredoms that glorified her self as a Queen Rev. 18. shall be consumed and her Merchants that were waxed rich through her pleasures and profits shall wail and weep the which they now seeing shut their eyes lest they should see that which would bring them from these honours profits and pleasures In like manner it may easily be judged by every indifferent man that the cause why the Learned of this Land will not see or at least practise that seeing there is but one Lord Eph. 4.5 and one Law-giver over the Conscience Jam. 4.12 Therefore no man ought to be compelled by persecution to a worship wherein he hath not Faith is not the obscurity of the Scriptures but their winking with their eyes lest they should see that that would take away their honours and profits For if Bribes blind the eyes of the Wise Deut. 16.19 then Honours and Profits much more For who seeth not if none should be compelled by persecution to worship God in Spirit and Truth such only worship Him and none but such are required to worship Him Joh. 4.23 that these Learned would lose their Honours Profits in being Lords and Law-makers over the conscience souls of men although your Majesty might lawfully give them what temporal Honours and Profits your Highness liked of These are the true causes of the blindness of the Learned For so Christ saith How can ye believe when ye seek honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God alone Joh. 5.44 And how can men but be blind in gods Mysteries when they look to their own way for their own advantage and for their own purpose for having rejected the Word of the Lord what wisdom is in them they have no answer of God that build up their Sion for so they account their Churches and Professions with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity as before is proved If these Learned could free us from the Lords wrath or if they might answer for us and we be free it were safe for us to submit our selves and captivate our judgments and practice to them but seeing they cannot so much as deliver their own souls And that if the blind lead the blind both must fall into the Ditch Mat. 15.14 and Every one must give account of himself to God and be judged by his own works done in the flesh and that the soul that sinneth shall dye We dare not follow any mortal man in matters of salvation further than we know him to agree with the meaning of God in the Scriptures Paul the holy Apostle of Jesus Christ taught That we should follow him no otherwise than he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Yea Christ himself sent men to the Scriptures to try his Doctrine The Apostles suffered their Doctrine to be tryed and commend them that try it And the Protestants confess Whit. pag. 127. This Doctrine was never misliked till a Church rose up whose Silver being Dross and whose Milk Poyson could not endure the tryal which being true that we may try why may we not also judge and practise according as Gods Spirit shall direct us in our tryal If a man should drink poison and know it to be poison were he not in a worse estate than he that should drink it ignorantly not knowing thereof even a murderer of himself in the highest degree So he that drinketh spiritual poison knowing it for according unto mens faith it is unto them he is in a worse estate and a murderer of his own soul in the highest degree And therefore that Church or those Learned that will suffer their Doctrine to be tryed and yet constrain men to receive and practise it when upon examination their consciences are convinced of the falshood thereof are worse and do more highly sin than they that constrain a blind conscience though both be evil We despise not Learning nor Learned men but do reverence it and them according to their worthiness only when it is advanced into the seat of God and that given to it which appertaineth unto the holy Ghost which is to lead into all Truth than ought all as Ezekiah did unto the brazen Serpent detest it and contemn it CHAP. 6 Persecution for cause of Conscience is against the Doctrine of Jesus Christ King of Kings 1. CHRIST commanded that the Tares and Wheat which are those that walk in the Truth and those that walk in falshood should be let alone in the world and not plucked up until the harvest which is the end of the world Mat. 13.30 38 c. 2. The same commandeth Mat. 15.14 That they that are blindly led on in false Religion and are offended with him for teaching true Religion should be let alone referring their punishment unto their falling into the Ditch 3. Again Luke 9.54 55. He reproved his Disciples who would have had Fire come down from Heaven and devoured those Samaritans that would not receive him in these words Ye know not of what spirit ye are the Son of man is not come to destroymens lives but to save them 4. Paul the Apostle of our Lord teacheth 2 Tim. 2.24 That the servant of the Lord must not strive but must be gentle towards all men suffering the evil men instructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the Truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil c. 5. According to these aforesaid Commandments the holy Prophets foretold that when the Law of Moses concerning Worship should cease and Christs Kingdom be established then all carnal weapons should cease Isa 2.4 Micah 4.3 4. They shall break their Swords into Mattocks and their Spears into Sithes c. And Isa 11.9 Then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the Mountain of my Holiness c. And when he