Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	elder_n	ephesus_n	3,861	5	11.6134	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93702	Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht: containing a confutation of the three degrees of popery, viz. papacy, prelacy, and presbitery; answerable to the triple crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope, with his three fold hierarchies aforesaid. With a dispelling of all other dispersed clouds of errour, which doth interpose the clear sun-shine of the Gospel in our horrizon. Wherein the chiefe arguments each of them have, for the vindication of their erronious tenents are incerted, and refuted; with a description of such whem [sic] the true Church of Christ doth consist of: as also how, and by whom, they may be gathered, and governed, according to the will, and appointment of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the primative purity thereof. / By Iohn Spittlehouse, assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army, under the command of his Excellency, the Lord Generall Fairfax. Imprimated by Theod. Jennings, and entred in the Stationers Hall.	Spittlehouse, John.	1649 (1649)	Wing S5013; Thomason E586_2; ESTC R203633	304,213	396

of it they possitively conclude that it must be so of necessity although in the truth of the assertion it is no way agreeable to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ and thus have the rude multitudes been deluded by their Orthodoxall men for many ages who have purposely and knowingly kept the people in this blinde obedience for their owne particular advantage SECT 5. OF the like stampe is the signe of the Crosse which they use in Of the Crosse in Baptisme Baptisme being no more practised by the Apostles then the former for if they had without doubt they would have left some president for it in their writings which is not in the least to be found as mentioned to any such purpose as their Orthodoxall men very well know Historians say that this Ceremony of making The first use of the Crosse Crosses tooke its rise in the Primative times upon this occasion viz. The Pagans having the predominant power over Christians did in derision of Christ whom the Christians adored erected Crosses because he was hanged upon such an one hereupon the Christians to shew themselves not ashamed of such a God as did not despise so ignominious a death for the love he had to his elect did also make Crosses themselves in signification that they willingly owned that God whom the Pagans so much derided Now there being no such cause for the continuance of such Ceremonies viz. no people so shamelesly impudent why should not the effect cease viz. materiall Crosses for otherwise it was never used in Baptisme untill the Idolatrous and Superstitious Papists brought it in as a Sacramentall and signifying signe which being scandalous and having no ground from the Word as also never so used before amongst Christians or at the least by Christs Apostles as also abolished by all the reforming Churches it ought not to be approved or tollerated by us SECT 6. THeir confirmation or laying on of hands is also of the same O● confirmation and laying on of hands linage for though the Apostles had power to give the Holy Ghost to whom they were directed so to doe by a secret inspiration of the same Spirit it doth not follow that the Mitered Bishops hath the like priviledge or power to grant the like strength of Spirituall grace in that manner and that for these reasons 1. Because they are usurpers of that Office and calling which Bishops usurpers of their office was conferred by Christ or his Apostles and so cannot any way justly claime any such power and anthority as the Apostles had which may appeare in that Christ did not commit the Government of his Church to dumbe Priests for whom he sent he sent to preach Luke 10. and not to make Crucifixes and blesse Altars or to observe mens traditions he meant not to play a Pagiant that men should disguise themselves by wearing Rochets Copes Surplices c. neither to preach his Gospel with windy eloquence but in the celestiall power of the Spirit as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 1. 4. but all these are done by these Prelates ergo not fit instruments to preach the Gospel SECT 7. Obj. PAul saith that he that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good worke Ans The Apostle in that place doth not meane a Bishop in his Bishop and Elder taken for one and the same Christ do●h not commit the government of h●s Church to dumbe Priests Palfrey standing like an Image but these words Shepheard Minister Bishop Elder c. are taken in holy Scripture for one and the same witnesse the Apostle Peter who termeth himselfe an Elder 1 Pet. 5. 1. he meant therefore such as are called into the Church of God to teach the people and to be a Watch-man over the Flock to preach the Word in season and out of season and not to put forth their owne Phantasiès and Dreames that calling is not an honour of idlenesse but a Soule-saving service and therefore to be a true Bishop is to be a faithfull Pastor to his Flock And certainly this dignity and superiority which they usurpe The originall of Bishops came to passe by some proud fellowes having a degree in humane learning above the rest of their Function and so took upon them that name of Bishop changing the tongue of the Holy Ghost for otherwise the same was a Priest which was a Bishop all executing the same office of Teaching and exhorting which Paul appointed for the Bishops yea it is most apparant that our Saviour gave no such power or preheminence to his Apostles as The Apostles of Christ did not usurpe authority on one another these usurpe one over another but contrariwise forbiddeth them to desire it Mat. 20. 26. It shall not be so amongst you As also Mat. 23. 8. where he exhorteth them not to be called Rabbi Rabbi as was the Scribes and Pharisees and that in regard he himselfe was their Doctor and they all Brethren and therefore ought not to Lord it one over another SECT 2. Obj. IF their calling be not from God whence 〈◊〉 it Ans From the Devill for they received it from the The Bishops calling originally from the Devill and so consequently those ordained by them Pope who is a Rebell to Christ and hath received his Calling from the Devill Rev. 17. 2. neither can these be said to be the Apostles Successors in regard they have not taken the Word of God for their guide but the traditions of Men and devices of their owne braine and the corrupt customes of their own Courts all which Christ abhorreth witnesse his sharp invectives against the Scribes and Pharisees for the like Mat. 7. 8. as also in that he termes it a vaine worship in regard he is only to be worshipped in Spirit and in truth Obj. They doe not deny the Word of God they would only have those Ceremonies and Customes of decency which hath been for a long time used in the Church still to be continued Ans To plead for Custome is dangerous Christ telleth us He A long and evill custome is not to be followed is the way the truth and the life he doth not say He is the Custome but he is the truth for in processe of time an evill custome may grow strong yea to be kept for a Law and yet it is not therefore the truth we ought then in matter of worship to apply our selves to Christ the truth and not to custome Again that they are not called of God may appeare in that Reason● why they are not called of God they have combined together for themselves and contrived for their owne sinister ends and usurpation though to the great dispersion and division both in Church and State moving and fomenting of Warre and afflicting of the people of God not respecting any thing more then their owne glory and sinister respects by which they have laboured to raise themselves to honour as also in that they

4. Obj. THe Apostle exhorteth them that are taught to communicate to him that teacheth in all good things which cannot be effected but by way of Tithes Ans Such gratuities may be effected and not by way of Tithes Ti●hes no●●f necessity for if I give a Crown or an Angel out of my estate to a Minister may he not be said to participate of all my estate certainly it cannot be denied Obj. If Ministers should stand to the reward of what men shall freely give them they are like to be poorely recompensed for their paines Ans Farre better then the Apostles were for they did not only want the benefit of Tithes but they also suffered impri●onment and persecutions as the Scriptures doth plentifully witnesse the Apostle Paul could say that bonds and afflictions waited upon him where ever he went such was the condition of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ which now to suffer by these fine todd Priests would prove a very hard taske for the most zealous of them to take out Obj. Three parts of the Kingdome will give nothing to a godly painfull Minister Ans Three parts of the Common-wealth and a third part There will be a sutablenesse betwix● the f●●ck of Christ and the true Pastors of it of the fourth wil not be found sit materials for the building of the new Jerusalem or Church of Christ and therefore as there wil be but a little flock of sheep so wil they stand in need of the sewer Shepheards and doubtlesse God hath so ordered it that they should be alike suitable to the flocke for I am verily perswaded that three parts of the Clergy of this Nation and a third part of the fourth wil not be found fit Pastors for the flock of Christ Obj. You seeme to be of a very strange opinion doe you ever thinke to see such things come to passe as the cashering of so many of the Clergy as you speake of Ans Truly until all such of them as I have named viz. the Cavalier Priests be outed of that Function or calling they have so arrogantly usurped viz. as Successors of the Apostles of Christ being as meere Antagonists to them as light and darknesse Heaven and Hell there can be no true Reformation yea until the best of their grime have disclaimed that Antichristian Calling by which they claime their Office it being as they very wel know or may know quite contrary to the election of Pastors in the primative times who was neither so initiated into their office or maintained by any such donation as that of Tithes which the greatest part of the best of them plead for Therefore to conclude our Discourse concerning Tithes whether belonging to Parsonages or Viccaredges as of Corne or Hay Piggs Geese egges c. I am confident that the Pope Cardinals Jesuits Monkes Fryers Abhots with all the rest of that Hierarchy of Rome as also the late arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes Deanes and Chapters Arch Deacons c. may as justly claime their former Stipends or Church dues as they call them which they once enjoyed amongst us as the present Priests their Parsonages or Viccareges they having no more right to them from the Word then the other before mentioned Obj. Them you formerly mentioned had their Revenues taken from them by the Civill Magistrate but so have not these yet therefore they may justly claime them Ans It is yet to prove that the Civill Magistrate hath a power to dispose of the Common-wealths Estates in a Spirituall cognizance their office being meerly Civill as I have shewed especially towards the maintenance of the grand enemies to Christ and the Common-wealth as they very wel know as also in that they have no warrant for any such maintenance albeit for the best of their Tribe as I have proved at large and therefore for the Civill Magistrate to dispose of mens Goods to the maintenance of Antichristians is more then they ought to doe or can justifie from the Scriptures that of Presbitery being a Hierarchy as the other and therefore to be ab●lished in each particular as the other and that without respect of persons as the Covenant injoynes Obj. They of the Presbitery have been s●ch as have stood up with you in defence of Religion as also by wh●s● meanes you have provailed against the common enemy viz. the Hierarchy of Bishops c. and will you now contemne them Ans The Bishops by th● same rule might have pleaded the like priviledge for they also did well in their time by opposing the Popes grand Hierarchy in this Nation but yet notwithstanding being pressing forwards towards a fuller Reform●tion the Civill Magistrate hath abolished them being the ne● subordinate Hierarchy c. now this of Presbitery being 〈◊〉 a whelpe of the same Litter as I have and shall pro●e they are also as much ingaged to suppresse it notwithstanding 〈◊〉 can be said in vindication of them Yea it is worthy the observation of all Christians how the Grand●es of that 〈◊〉 have also through the just judgement of God 〈◊〉 the very 〈◊〉 course to that end as have the rest of the Hie●●rchies 〈◊〉 viz. by the cruelty that they would have imposed upon 〈◊〉 as would not imitate them in their wayes the first with 〈◊〉 and Fagg●● the second by Banishment c. and these by the imp●isonment c. they had obtained for their opposits by an Ordinance of Parliament which aforesaid Cruelties hath been and is like to be the ruine of themselves whereas otherwise if they had been more modest in all probability they might have been continued to this present time in pompe sufficient for such opposers of the truth as the other were and this of Presbitery now is And therefore Jack as thou didst imitate So thou must likewise suffer 't is thy fate It cannot be avoyded thou must be Deprived also of thy Hierarchy The fourth part of Rom●s ruine by W●ite-Hall c. Treateth how the Church of Christ may be restored to its Primat●v● pur●y in its Gatherers Members Discipline and Government and that Jure Divino or according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ ANd I John saw the holy City the new Jerusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband and I heard a 〈◊〉 ort of Heaven saying the The Pieface Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel● with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away and he that sate upon the Throne said behold I make all things new And be said unto me write for these words are true and faithfull and he said unto me it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will give unto him

the whole Church and not of any other particular part thereof as a representative of the whole without elected by the whole as hereafter I shall prove at large Obj. It is manifest that Timothy and Titus who were mediately called had power also of exercising censures over Presbiters and others which these places of Scripture 1 Tim. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 19. Tit. 3. 10. doe witnesse Ans This is also granted but you are so sottish to thinke that the priviledge which the Apostles permitted the reall Body of the Church in such affaires was taken from them had they interest in all the Apostles affaires concerning the Church and must they be debarred it by Timothy and Titus Might they be be permitted as I said before to ●ay the foundation and not to build to elect an Apostle and not a Presbiter to have voyce in the counsels and decrees of the Apostles who were immediatly called and be debar●ed the like priviledge by Timothy and Titus doubtlesse it was the grosse or rather wilful mistake of some proud Lucrean Priest such as the Sinod consisted of who first assumed that christian priviledge unto themselves from them Scriptures SECT 9. Obj. PAul had a commanding power over Titus chap. 1. 5. ergo one Minister over another Ans Paul and the rest of the Apostles were immediatly called None now equall in power with the Apostles and therefore had a greater priviledge then them who were but mediatly called by them and the Church but there is none now so immediatly called and so equall in power and authority to the Apostles and as touching the commanding power you speake of I answer that the Apostles under their immediate calling could not compell or force one another by way of authority and would you conferre a greater power on the●r who are but mediatly called I see your pride will appeare above board you have forg●t Christs answer to your Predecessors in ambition M●● ●● ●● ●6 ●7 c. as also how it was relished by the rest of the Apostles ●●r 24. Obj. The Apostles sent Judas and ●las to Antioch ergo they had power over them Ans That is argued like the rest for by the same reason the rest of the Apostles had a commanding power over Peter and John whom they are said to send to Samaria Act. 8. 14. as also the Church at Antioch in sending Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem Act. 15. 2. which were to crosse the injunction of our Saviour Mat. 20. 25. c. therefore no rationall man can imagine that those Missions or sendings were any other then when Committees are appointed by the Parliament out of their owne Members to act particular businesses proper to the House which Committees being Members doe not lose any part of their power or Membership during their absence in the House upon that Committee though distant from the House have you been seven or eight yeares so neare the House and yet ignorant of such customs Obj. As them Members of Parliament are a Committee the remaining Members in Parliament have a superiour power above them they being the supreame Court Ans Were it so yet you still argue against your selfe for that proveth that the supreame power remaineth in the real body of the Parliament and so consequently of the Church viz that the Church at Antioch had a supreame power over and above Paul and Barnabas as the Church at Jerusalem over Judas and Silas being sent by them as Committees so that you no waies advantage your selfe by your evasion SECT 10. Obj. TImothy and Titus had not only power to ordaine Presbiters and Deacons but also of exercising Sensures over Presbiters and others as also the Angels of the Churches are said to have Rev. 2. 3. chap. Ans What work you make with poore Timothy and Titus to uphold your pride and covitousnesse but I cannot better answer this point then in the words of your owne Language to his late Majesty in Carisborow Castle only I shall paraphraise something by the buy as in answer to your own particulars by speaking to you as to them of the Sinod that writ that answer viz. I cannot say they had this power as the Apostles Substitutes or Successors in Presbiterian Government or that they exercised the power they had as being Presbiters in the sence of you Presbiterians but as extraordinary Officers or Evangelists which Evangelists were an office in the Church distinct from Vid fol. ● Pastors and Feachers Ephe. 4. 11. And that they were Evangelists it appeares by their being sent up and downe by the Apostles or taken along with them in company to severall Churches as the necessity and occasion of the Church did require the one of them being expresly called an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. 5. and neither of them being any where in Scripture called Presbiterian in your sence neither were they fixed to Ephesus and Creet as Presbiters in the Churches committed to them as you would be in London and Westminster but removed from thence to other places and never for ought appeares in Scripture returned to them againe And it seemes cleare to me that neither their abode at Ephesus or Creet was for any long time especially for so long a time as you have sitten at Westminster Nor was it so intended by the Apostles or our Parliament for the Apostles imployed them there upon occasionall businesse as his expressions intimateth 1 Tim. 1. 3. Tit 1. 5. which words doth not carry the fixing and constituting of a Sinod of Presbiters in a place as perpetuall Governours SECT 11. ANd as touching those Angels mentioned in the Revelations Vid. fol. 7● I answer also in words of your owne coyning viz. that they were in no place called Presbiters in vulgar acceptation neither is there mention of Superiority of one Presbiter to another as a Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Sinod but in Diotrophes in effecting of it as you of the Sinod did not And for the more cleare and full satisfaction of your Worships in this point I will briefly declare into what Officers hands the ordinary standing Office of the Church were transmitted and derived by and from the Apostles The Apostles had no Successors in eundem gradum the Apostolicall office was not derived by Succession being established by Christ by extraordinary and speciall commission but for the ordinary and standing use of the Church there were ordained only two orders of Offices viz. Bishops and Deacons which the Apostle expresseth Phil. 1. 1. and only of them doth the Apostle give the due character of 〈◊〉 ● 1 Ti●● 3. 2. 8. from both which places of Scripture 〈…〉 that besides Presbiters Vi● fol. 8. there is no other Order but 〈…〉 and though the order of a Presbiter 〈…〉 order of a Dea●on yet in the same order of a De●●on or 〈◊〉 there was not any one superiour to another no 〈◊〉 w●● above an Apostle no Evangelist above an Evangelis● 〈◊〉 Presbiter

above a Presbiter no Deacon above a Deacon And if ●o how will your Classicall Provinciall and Nationall S●●ods ●o●d together by which you doe assume a power beyond the power which the Apostles used in the Church binding and consining your fellow Presbiters to observe your Injunctions and Decrees as if you were rather Apostles then Presbiters admitting only such Creatures as are of your owne stam●e into the Ministry and to such must all the Parishes of the Kingdome subscribe and admit of whether they have either seene or heard of them before or no your approbation is sufficient if they have but received the Popish stampe of Orders by your Predec●ssors the Bishops they are well enough otherwise not how gifted soever they be SECT 12. AGaine in your answer to his late Majesty you say That no other Persons or Officers of the Church may challenge o● assume to themselves such power as did the Apostles in that respect alone viz. because the Apostles practised it except such power belong to them in common as well as to the Apostles by warrant of Scripture which that it doth your Sinod is yet to prove You there also confesse that our Saviour and his Apostles did not so leave the Church at liberty as that any substantials belonging to Church Government which were appointed by Christ and his Apostles may be altered at pleasure and then I am certaine that your Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Sinods will not agree with the other left by Christ and his Apostles and therefore I beseech the Honourable House of Parliament to looke rather to the originall of those your Powers then the succession of them And thus you have made an Episcopall rod to whip your owne britch Obj. That which is called ordination was by the Apostles and a power established in the Presbitery and not in the Church as m●●re beleevers Ans I have proved and shall prove that the Brethren as well as the Presbitery had a joynt interest and concurrency in all power which belonged to the Church CHAP. VIII Of the Churches power to chuse their Officers SECT 1. Objection HOw prove you the election of Pastors and Elders by the Church or people Ans Even by the renowned Doctor Stewarts The Church hath power to chu●e its Pastors owne confession in his learned Dupley where he voluntarily and ingeniously confesseth and acknowledgeth albeit to the marring of his Market that no Minister or any other Church Officer ought to be thrust upon a people or Congreg●tion no more then a Husband is to be forced upon a woman against her will and that however such a Pastor may goe to the Pulpit and preach amongst them yet unlesse they consent he is not their Minister Thus far the learned Doctor And if so with what impudence have you of the Sinod dispatched your owne tribe to officiate where you your selves please by vertue of an Apostolicall power which you proudly usurpe unto your selves condemning it in others when as it so clearly appeares and that by a Bird of your owne feather that every Church hath power to judge of the ability and sufficiency of their Pastor Obj. If the Dector had thought you would have made such use of his expressions he would have kept them in however it is but one Doctors opinion Are you able to prove from Scripture that the reall body at ●erusalem had such power given them by the Apostles and Elders Ans Yea I am able to prove that they had a voyce in chusing The reall Church chose Matthias to be an Apostle of Matthias to the Apostleship from Act. 1. 23. SECT 2. Obj. THat text doth not say that the people viz. every one of them gave their voyce for if so then Mary and the rest of the women voyced also which was contrary to Pauls command who saith that women are to keep silence in the Church and therefore certainly none did voyce but such as had power to voyce Ans Neither doth the text say that the women did transgresse Women m●y proph●sie if so gifted that precept given by Paul in speaking but as you might●ly mistake the Apostle in other things so in this for in that place where the Apostle commandeth women to be silent in the Church it is only meant concerning preaching and propheying as doth clearly appeare 1 Cor. 14. 36. and not of other conference in the Church for if so Aquilla surely did offend in speaking in her owne house it being a receptacle for the Church Neither is it altogether forbidden in the sence of Prophecying if they be so gifted Obj. I pray you remember your selfe do● not goe about to contradict the Apostle as that he knew not what he said Ans That which I have said I am able to justifie by Scripture yea by the Apostle Paul himselfe if need require Obj. Hold me no longer in dispence but satisfie me how it may be and not to contradict the rule set downe by the Apostle Paul 1 Cor 14. 34. Ans I shall prove it by the Old and New Testament and first in the Old Testament I instance in Miriam Numb 12. 2. where Aaron and Miriam object against Moses in these words Hath not the Lord also spoken by us Such Prophetesses also were Deborah Hanna and Huldah and in the New Testament Hanah the daughter of Pannuel as also Philips foure daughters which were Prophetesses Act. 20. 9. SECT 3. Obj. BVt were these Prophetesses to teach publickly Ans These Prophetesses being extraordinarily stirred Gif●s of Prophesie a●e given to ●di●●● the Church up did also publickly Prophesie and not only privately in their families as may appear by these reasons viz. 1. Because the gift of Prophesie was given them to edifie the Church withall 1 Cor. 14. 3. they then having the gist did use it to the right end viz. publickly 2. It is confirmed by example in that passage I have named touching Miriam Numb 12. 2. Hath not the Lord spoken also by us 3. Deborah is said to judge Israel publickly being a Prophetesse Jud. 4. 4. she did therefore exercise her Propheticall gift publickly 4. The Apostle Paul himselfe dis-alloweth not of it 1 Cor. 11. 5. where speaking of women Prophecying saith not that it is unlawfull for women to Prophesie but that it is not decent for them to Prophesie with their heads uncovered by all which it appeares that some women in Pauls time being Prophetesses such as Philips foure daughters did Prophesie and that publickly Obj. The Apostle there doth not speake of the particular act of women but of the act of the Congregation which is said to pray or prophesie Ans It is apparent to the contrary by the use of the Word elsewhere viz. Ye may all prophesie one by one 1 Cor. 14. 31. for there the Apostle speaketh of the particular act of Prophecying Obj. Wherefore then doth the Apostle injoyne the women silence in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 31. Ans To reconcile these places

did your Predecessors sure you 'l say What would you have us doe which is the way That he would have us walk in I reply The first thing you 're to doe is to deny Your selves that is that you would condiscend To take Christs yoke upon you that 's the end For which he hath exalted you but I Much feare your answer will be to deny To weare that yoke or beare that burthen light Vnlesse with Nichodemus in the night They 're yet too meane for you what such as yee Turne Tub-preachers tush fye it cannot be You that are Steerers at the Helme of State Is' t fitting such as you should congregate Your selves with poore base and Mechanick men As Taylors Millers Weavers Coblers when You may be honour'd as to your degree Amongst the Churches of the Presbitry Reply Doe but confesse your selves to be but Men Wormes Earth and Ashes Dust and Clay and then Boast out your fills of your great Birth High honours riches wisedome here on earth And see what they amount unto or what Christ will respect you more for this or that Againe what is so done to you by such Which at the present is not very much Is meerely for to draw you to their lure For well they know applauses must procure The station of their present Hierarchy Or else it falls even to eternity And therefore 't is they warble out such notes Even to the straining of their very throates For the continuance of Magistrates And Ministry but the o're-powring Fates Hath otherwise decreed that you or they Shall reigne as formerly hence-forth for aye I doe confesse in reference to the Law Of Nature and Nations there is an Ave Full feare reflects on you from such as doe Transgresse them Lawes in that you are a foe To such like Agents causing them to be Punisht according unto that degree By which they doe offend But as for such As keep without your verge you cannot touch At least you ought not you 're no more to those Then Herod was to Christ who did oppose Him both by word and action as likewise The Apostles did the Scribes and Pharisees Yea all their Acts doth plainly shew how they Did slight their threats rather then disobey The heavenly pleasure yea although it were To losse of life yet would they not forbeare But now the Church of Christ hath hopes to see You condiscend to their Fraternity And not hence-forth to curbe them by that power Ordained to protect them not devoure And therefore heare O Kings and Rulers all Harke with attention listen to the call Which now invites you for to entertaine Christ for your King who is resolv'd to reigne O're you and yours either by love or awe But rather doth desire that love may draw our hearts for to comply to beare his yoke If not then know there is a heavie stroake To be laid on you with an Iron Rod Even by the hands of a provoked God The which will crush your powers and make you know That as in things above so here below He hath the Kingly power and will direct All such whom he vouchsafeth to protect Relinquish therefore all your powers whereby You hitherto have rul'd by Tyranny Over that little Flock which Christ doth owne As his peculiar Sheep and now made knowne Vnto this present age that thereby yee May have communion with their unity Refuse not therefore those his invitations As you intend the glory of your Nations Doe not excuse your selves or make delay For it is dangerous now is the day Of exaltation and of such renowne As farre excelleth that your Kingly Crowne Affordeth O then yeeld a free consent Vnto his now declared Government For thereby will be added to your Graces A Priest and Prophet-ship in heavenly places For thereby will your pomp now transitory Be changed into everlasting glory For thereby will your fraile and fleshly nature Be made Divine and of a Christ-like stature Yeeld yeeld obedience then that when yee dye Ye may be crown'd with immortality To the present Clergy The next I have to deale withall are those Of the Sasardoll Tribe who yet oppose That Gospel method which our Saviour left To regulate his Church and hath bereft It of that glory which it once injoy'd Yea have attempted even to have destroy'd It root and branch witnesse that beast-like man Of Rome who through his pride of heart began The grand Apostasie as also all That have officiated by his call Since that revolt as you proud Prelates and You Presbiterian Priests who yet withstand It to your utmost power but all 's in vaine You strive against the streame for Christ wil reigne Above you if not over you therefore Forbeare your proud attempts you can no more Now if it be the great Law-givers minde To furnish me with light and strike them blinde Will you gaine-say't Or say he hath done ill By doing so Dare you oppose his Will For ought you know he hath ordained me As a fore-runner of him for to be Against his second comming and how can You know a Prophet from another man But by his speech or writing 'T is well knowne I am no Atheist neither have I showne My selfe a friend to any other Sect Nor have I gone about for to erect A new-found fantasie in this my Booke To trifle time away nor doe I looke For popular applause of any he Who in opinion is the nearest me But God's my witnesse before whom I stand The very cause I tooke this taske in hand Was for to purge Christs floore and so to sift The chaffe out of the wheat and so to lift The Pope out of his Throne all which may be Done easily if that you thus agree As I have written But if you refuse To take that course set downe and thinke to use Some other meanes to bring the worke about To crosse the way which I have here found out Being the old true way I doe declare You seeke to ruine and not to repaire The Church of Christ which in the end will bring Destruction to you all in every thing Consider therefore and the Lord grant skill To every one of you to doe his will The Authors Petition to the Supreame Power of the Nation by Divine Providence now residing in the Commons of England assembled by their Representatives in the Grand Court of PARLIAMENT In the Names and behalfes of all such Christians as are or desire to be seperated from the world and Antichristianisme to practise Religion in Doctrine Worship and D●cipline acco●d●●g 〈◊〉 h● wi●l ●nd appointment of Jesus Christ in his VVord I. THat all such of the Clergy as have disclaimed their call to that office of Bis●ops c. and have already practised according to the precepts of Christ and his Apostles in gathering of Churches by way os Baptizing Beleevers may have the freedome to persist in that Method publickly without the let or molestation of the men of the world behaving