persecuted to death indeed some thereby are forced to confesse with the mouth that which they beleeve not in heart and so are made true dissemblers in stead of true Chistians wherby many men and women are deceived with dissembling husbands and wives as well as the King and State are deceived with dissembling servants and subjects but the word of God if permission of conscience might be granted would procure upright pure and unfained husbands and wives servants and subjects so that thereby neither Prince nor people should be deceived for all good shepherds wil divide and separate not force slay and persecute for if men and women be found Hereticks they shall be separated from the Church but if they be unbeleevers they shall not be joyned unto it untill they be converted by the word of God much lesse forced which conversion for ought we know may be at their death if not afore seeing the Lord calleth some at the eleventh houre so well as at the first Mat. 20. 6 7 and not at the King and Bishops pleasures Kings and Magistrates are to rule temporall affaires by the swords of their temporall kingdoms and Bishops and Ministers are to rule spirituall affaires by the word and spirit of God the sword of Christs spirituall kingdom and not to intermeddle one with anothers authority office and function and it is a great shame for the Bishops and Ministers not to be able to rule in their Church without the assistance of the King and Magistrate yea it is a great sign they are none of Christs Bishops and Ministers if they were they would not be afraid nor ashamed of their faith nor yet would they perswade Princes and people to persecute and force one another to beleeve them but would use only the assistance of Gods word and spirit and therewith suffer their faith and doctrine to be examined proved and disputed both by word and writing Tit. 1.7.9.11 And he is a true Bishop who is unreprovable and that is able to stop the mouths of his adversaries by Gods word and Spirit onely whose faith and discipline agree with the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and maketh no contradiction but all those Bishops that force Princes and peoples to receive their faith and discipline by persecution doe with Iudas goe against Christ in his members with swords staves and halberds who seeing Gods word will not help them betake themselves with all haste and hazard unto the authority of the King and Magistrate I read that a Bishop of Rome would have constrained a Turkish Emperor to the Christian faith unto whom the Emperor answered I beleeve that Christ was an excellent Prophet but he did never so far as I understand command that men should with the power of weapons bee constrained to beleeve his law and verily I also do force no man to beleeve Mahomets law Also I read that Iews Christians and Turks are tolerated in Constantinople and yet are peaceable though so contrary the one to the other If this he so how much more ought Christians not to force one another to Religion and how much more ought Christians to tolerate Christians when as the Turks do tolerate them shall we be lesse mercifull then the Turks or shall we learne the Turks to persecute Christians It is not onely unmercifull but unnaturall and abominable yea monstrous for one Christian to vex and destroy another for difference and questions of Religion and though tares have overgrown the wheate yet Christ will have them let alone till harvest Mat. 13.29.30 38. lest while you goe about to pluck up the tares you pluck up also the wheat with them as your predecessors have done who thought they had gathered up the tares and burned them but you see now that they have burned the wheat in stead of tares Wherfore in all humility and Christian modesty I doe affirm that through the unlawfull weed-hook of persecution which your predecessors have used and by your Majesty and Parliament is stil continued there is such a quantity of wheat plucked up and such a multitude of tares left behinde that the wheat which remain cannot yet appeare in any right visible congregation Acts 3.17 And now beloved Soveraign and Parliament I know that through ignorance you doe persecute as did also your predecessors Amend your lives therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord who before hath shewed by the month of his holy servant John Rev. 12.14 that the woman meaning the Church should fly into the wildernesse for a time times and half a time from the presence and persecution of the serpent And that the winepresse should bee troden without the City untill bloud came out of the winepresse unto the horse bridles Rev. 14.20 by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs and thus he hath fulfilled it Now therefore I humbly beseech you suffer not your Bishops and Ministers any longer to perswade to force your subjects or any others to their faith and Church by persecution neither suffer them therewith to defend their faith and Church against their adversaries if they have not any thing from Gods word against us let them yeeld and submit themselves if they think they have any thing against us let them betake themselves onely to Gods word both in word and writing 2 Tim. 3.16 For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God to that purpose and is profitable to teach to reprove to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect unto all good works with which scripture and not with fire and sword your Majesties Bishops and Ministers ought to be armed and weaponed Mat. 10.14 15. Mat. 16.11 and whosoever shall not heare the words of such Bishops and Ministers then such Bishops Ministers are commanded by Christ not to imprison burn banish hang them but to shake the dust of their feet against them for a witnesse when they depart from them Act. 13.51 affirming that at the day of judgment it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah then for such persons and this commandement of Christ did his Bishops and Ministers obey as you may read By which and by that which follow your gracious Maty and Princely and honorable Parliament may perceive the will and mind of our Lord and Saviour Christ unto whose mercy I commend you and to the word and wisdom of his grace which is able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Amen Your faithfull and loving subject Leonard Busher not Furbusher There is one Furbusher a preacher in this Land Certain Reasons against Persecution FIrst because Christ hath not commanded any King Bishop or Minister to persecute the people for difference and judgement in matter of Religion Secondly because Christ hath commanded
you I know you are especially you that are Laymen zealous as you think for God and his Truth as Paul was But I hope there will a time come and I wish it were now present when in the midst of your heat and fervency the glorious and shining brightnesse of Love will appeare in your hearts like the light surrounding Paul going to Damascus and the scales of ignorance and mistake will fall from your eyes and then you will lament all the evill which through weaknesse you have brought upon your Brethren you will then blame your owne zeale and importunity and apply your selves more cordially and constantly to observe our Saviours rule of equity to doe unto others what you would have others doe unto you Peruse this Treatise I beseech ye with a single heart and unprejudiced mind and let it sway you as the Arguments thereof are efficacious and the Scriptures therein urged are pertinent and convincing So wisheth yours and all other good Mens true Friend H. B. To the High and Mighty King James by the grace of God King of great Britain France and Ireland and to the Princely and right Honorable Parliament Leonard Busher wisheth the wisdom of Solomon the zeal of Josâ—…s and the mercy of Christ 1 Cor. 5.5 with the salvation of your Spirits in the day of the Lord Jesus FOrasmuch as your Majesty and Parliament do stand for the maintenance of the Religion wherein you are born and for the same do most zealously persecute with fire sword I have thought it good and also my duty most Royall Soveraign to inform your Majesty and Parliament thereof In all humimility therefore I give you to understand that no Prince or People can possible attaine that one true Religion of the Gospel which is acceptable to God by Jesus Christ meerly by birth (a) John 3. â— for Christ saith Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Also the Apost Iames saith (b) Jam. 1.18 Of his own will be begat us by the word of truth and the Apostle Peter saith (c) 1 Pet. 1.3.23 Matth. 28. Mark 16. Being born anew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liveth and endureth for ever Therefore Christ commanded this word to be preached to all nations that thereby they may attaine the new birth By which your Majesty and Parliament may perceive that the one true Religion of the Gospel is not attained by naturall birth for then all Princes and peoples in all nations should have that one true Religion of the Gospel the which you see and grant they all have not yet many of them also will defend their Religion wherein they are born by fire and sword as if it were their naturall and earthly inheritances or had with fire and sword been gotten and therefore will with fire and sword maintain and defend it But your Majesty and Parliament may please to understand that the Scriptures doe teach that the one true Religion is gotten by a new birth even by the word and spirit of God and therewith also it is onely maintained and defended For the word of God is lively and mighty in operation 2 Cor. 10.4 Ephe. 6.17 Heb. 4 1â— and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth through even unto the dividing asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the joints and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Seeing then the one true Religion of the Gospel is thus gotten and thus defended and maintained namely by the word preached onely let it please your Majesty and Parliament to be intreated to revoke and repeale those Antichristian Romish and cruell laws that force all in our Land both Prince people to receive that Religion wherein the King or Queen were born or that w th is stablished by the Law of man and in stead thereof enact and publish that Apostolick Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.16 Acts 8.12 Lu. 24.4 7. Acts 8.12.37 â— 41 Christian gentle and mercifull law of Christ viz. Goe teach all Nations preach the Gospel to every creature that is Christ will have his ministers to preach and teach the people of all Nations the things that concern the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Messiah repentance and remission of sins and to baptize in his name such as doe beleeve And forasmuch also that the false and Antichristian religion did come by the spirit of error and doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4.1 Rev. 16.14 and not by fire and sword therefore by the spirit of Christ and doctrine of the word of God must it be driven out of the hearts and consciences both of Prince and People and not by fire and sword as the false Bishops and Ministers have and doe still perswade Therefore may it please your Majesty and Parliament to understand that by fire and sword to constrain Princes and peoples to receive that one true Religion of the Gospel Mark 9 38 39. is wholly against the minde and mercifull Law of Christ dangerous both to King State a means to decrease the Kingdom of Christ and a means to increase the kingdom of Antichrist as these reasons following do manifest The which I humbly beseech your Majesty and Parliament carefully to consider and that according to the Word of God which shall judge every man according to his deeds Mat. 16.27 Rev. 16.14 Luke 9.55 56. Joh. 12.47 persecution is a work well pleasing to all fals Prophets and Bishops but it is contrary to the mind of Christ who came not to judge and destroy mens lives but to save them And though some men and women beleeve not at the first houre yet may they at the (d) Mat. 20.6 7. eleventh houre if they be not persecuted to death before And no King nor Bishops can or is able to command faith (e) Eph. 2 8 1 Tim. 1.13 Act. 20.11 That is the gift of God who worketh in us both the will and the deed of his own good pleasure set him not a day therefore in which if his creature hear not and beleeve not you will imprison and burn him Paul was a blasphemer and also a persecuter and could not be converted by the Apostles and Ministers of Christ yet at last was received to mercy and converted extraordinarily by Christ himself Jam. 5 11. â— Pet. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.19 who is very pitifull and mercifull and would have no man to perish but would that all men come to repentance but not by persecution but by the word of reconciliation which he hath committed to his ministers And as Kings and Bishops cannot command the wind so they cannot command faith Joh. 3. and as the winde bloweth where it listeth so is every man that is born of the spirit You may force men to Church against their consciences 1 Sam. 15 1â— â—4 but they will beleev as they did afore
are found to do the same yea worse for it is greater tyranny for one Christian to force kil another then for Turks and Pagans to kil a christian for that is no such great wonder seeing it is a paganish part who have no better knowledge but Christians should have better knowledge and more mercy then to play the pagans against christians Note So also the Protestants when they complain of the Papists for their bloody and beastly persecution doe therein condemn themselves seeing they doe the same for which they blame others and so are rebuked of the Scripture which saith Therefore thou are inexcusable O thou man Rom 2.1.3 whosoever thou art that blamest another for in that thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things and thinkest thou this O thou man that judgest them which do such things and thou doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgment of God Fifteenthly because his Majesty and Parliament would not willingly themselves be forc'd against their consciences by the persecution of the Bishop of Rome and his Princes so I beseech them according to the law Christ hath injoyned Christians not by persecution to force other mens consciences against their wills by the irritation of the Bishops of our land Luk. 6 31. Or provocation Sixteenthly because persecution do cause men and women to make shipwrack of faith and good consciences by forcing a Religion upon them even against their minds and consciences and also do send them quick to the devill in their errors if that be heresie for which they are hanged and burned which to do is a most unchristian unnaturall King Edward was an enemy to persecution Act. Mon. pag. 1484. The Christian answer of King Edward Rev. 16.14 cruell and tyrannous deed and I am sure you would not be content to be so dealt withall your selves but indeed the Popish and Idol-bishops are the authors hereof against the people as well as of other persecution against the Princes For antichristian Bishops do draw Kings and Princes hereto against their mind as may appear by Edward the sixt that godly King of famous memory who being urged by his bloody Bishops to subscribe to the burning of a woman called Joane Butcher hee answered will you have me to send her quick to the devill in her error But when his blood-thirsty Bishops would have no nay he said againe to Bishop Cranmer I lay all the charge thereof on you before God and Cranmer said he had never so much to do in all his life as to procure it whereby I doe perceive that godly Kings are drawn to Battail against the Saints by antichristian Bishops and false Prophets who otherwise would rule and reigne more agreeable to the mind of Christ Also hereby may all men perceive that the Councell and Bishops could not satisfie the Kings conscience by their perswasion if they could have shewed him the word of God for burning that Christian it would have prevailed with that godly King and he might then of faith have consented but his answer showeth that he was not of their mind for all that they had said and therfore now if it please you to require of your Bishops warrant from the word of God for the persecuting of Christians or for forcing Prince and people to Church you shall finde not one Bishop yea not all of them together though assisted with their Ministers will be able to shew warrant from Gods word whereby to perswade your consciences thereunto Rom. 14.23 and whatsoever is not of faith is sin and whatsoever is not from Gods word cannot be of faith Seventeenthly because persecution of Christians by Christians doe not onely justifie Papists and teach the Jewes and Pagans to persecute Christians but also do teach the Papists and others that know not the mind of Christ and once get the upperhand to persecute those that persecuted them By Digby Catesby c. Mat. 11.29 Luk. 14 27. yea it is a means as we have had lamentable experience to set such as are forced to Church against their consciences at deadly hatred against the King and State and urgeth all them to treason and rebellion that have not truly learned Christ who himself was persecuted to death whose harmles crosse all true Christians must take up and whose gentle and humble steps they must follow and walk in or else they cannot be his disciples nor sheep of his pasture And neither can the Papists be perswaded that persecution is a sin so long as they and other Christians are also persecuted by the protestants seeing the Papists do build their persecution on the same ground with the protestants but both sorts of Bishops doe erre grosly as shall be shewed God willing when they make their defence except herewith their consciences bee convinced to yeeld as I wish they may for the salvation of their owne souls the peace both of Prince and people and the safety of the King and State In the mean while it is to be observed that those Bishops and Ministers which perswade the King and Parliament to burn banish hang and imprison for difference of Religion are blood-suckers and manslayers and such it cannot be denyed caused Kings Magistrates to be their executioners and tormentors in burning the Martyrs in former times even in the days of King Henry the eight and Qu. Mary as the books of Acts and Monuments will witnesse if they bee not burned and I ask the Bishops and their Ministers Act 4.19 if the martyrs should have obeyed the King and Queen rather then have suffered death And now I must humbly and with all reverence do beseech his Majesty and Parliament advisedly to consider among themselves whether the Prince or Princesse differing with the Church now in matter of conscience and religion The Bps. as the High priests force men to obey man rather then God Note well stablished by law in our land as the right noble Princesse Elizabeth did in Qu. Maries dayes do not incur the danger and cruelty of the law now as that worthy Princesse did then seeing that popish and cruell law standeth still in force in most points of Religion and who dare trust the Bishops and their adherents in such a case the matter lying in their hands Let it be supposed that the Princes heart should be moved by the Lord to embrace the Apostolick faith and discipline shall he be forced to beleeve as the Bishops do against his conscience shall he be constrained to submit to their government and discipline against his conscience shall hee live in vexation and persecution and in danger of his life by the Bishops and law stablished as the Princesse Elizabeth did yea it must be thus with our right noble Prince except there be partiality yea it wil be thus with his princely person except those popish and cruell laws be repealed and extinguished Wherfore I meekly intreat seeing death
1 Thes 5.19 is to quench the Spirit of God in Christs Bishops and Ministers and also to frustrate the precept of Christ which saith Preach the Gospel to every creature Besides it maketh their one office function void they ought to preach and instruct with al meeknes them that are contrary minded proving if God at any time wil give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.24 25. that they may know the truth for the ministers of the Lord must not strive but be apt to teach gentle towards all men suffering evil men patiently telling Kings and Princes that the weapons of Christ Bishops and Ministers are not carnal as the weapons of all false Antichristian Bishops and Ministers are but Spiritual and mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe every high thing 2 Cor. 10.3.5 that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Also if al within the land be forced to be of the church as the Bishops and their ministers would stil have it then there would be no world in the land but al the land would be the Church which is absurd contrary to the scriptures and great ignorance do the Bishops Rev. 11. â— Act. 2.41 47. Note Act. 2.47 their ministers shew when they think the whole nation of people is the church of Christ for then it cannot be said out of great Britaine the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved seeing within the land there would be none without to be added Also within that land A true Church wil not persecute Mat. 12.25 Rev. 18.2.8 1 Cor. 8.11.12 Luc. 10.3 Gen. 32.28 Rom. 13.4 there would be no persecution seeing the church of Christ doth not persecute at al much lesse it self but the Ministers and members of that Church do persecute one another and therefore it cannot be the spiritual Kingdome Church of Christ but of Antichrist seeing it is divided against it self and persecuteth one another and wil with her mother great Babilon be consumed and condemned seeing as she they burne banish hang and imprison one another which is no Christian but Antichristian monstrous cruel woolvish tyranous part and practise for Christ sent his Ministers as lambs among wolves and not as wolves among Lambs Againe I humbly and with al reverence do beseech his right excellent Majesty to give me leave to put him in minde of those things that do concern the glory of God the assurance of his owne salvation the stablishment of his throne the benefit both of the Church of Christ and the common wealth of al his Dominions And though as Josias he finde by reading in the booke of the New Testament a great alteration of the Apostolick faith change of the lawes ordinances of Christ within his Dominions Yet not to be dismayed as Henry Legrand but be encouraged as Josiah to labour endeavour the redresse thereof according to the minde of Christ in his New Testament And I doubt not but as Iacob the Patriarch prevailed with God men so shal Iacob the King prevails both with God men especially being his chief steward by his new testament Through the zealous reading whereof will be found that Antichrist the King of the Catholick faith discipline called the mystery of iniquity doth sit in the Temple of God even as the Scripture hath foretold 2 Tim. 2. 1 Tim 4. Rev. 7 15. 2 The. 2.8 Rev. 17.16.17 But it is to be noted that the Scripture hath also foretold of the consummation abolition of this antichrist the man of sin and his mistery of iniquity with the utmost of his arrival or highest top of dignity he is come unto and this shall be done by the spirit of the Lord in the much of his servants For when the words of God be fulfilled then shal the servants of the Lord prevaile by his word spirit with ten Kings that shal hate Câ—aled the Temple of God 2 Thes Rev. 17 1.1â—.18 Ioh. 16.2 and make the whore desolate which sitteth in the hearts and consciences of peoples multitudes nations and this whore is the woman called the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth meaning the church of Rome by her false faith and discipline which is so faâ—… setled in the hearts consciences of the Kings of the earth that they think they do God good service in killing burning his servants that do speak against her faith and diâ—cipline and that wil not buy any of her warâ—s that is Rev. 17.13 14. her Antichristian doctrines and ordinances But as she hath had her exaâ—tation and arrival to the height and dignity of the sea Empire of Rome by the love of kings who have given their power and authority unto her and who have fought for her against the Saints servants of Iesus So she shal have her consummation abolition from that height and dignity by the hatred of Kings who againe shall take their power and authority from her and therewith defend the peace and persons of the Saints and servants of Iesus and not for religions peace will use their power and authority against the bloudy persecution of Antichrist and al his bloudy Bishops and Ministers and so become nursing fathers unto the Church of Christ And as it hath pleased God to give his Majesty peace round about as he did unto King Cyrus in whose dayes the material Temple began to be repaired which was a figure of the spiritual temple So I pray it may please him also in the peaceable dayes of King James to begin to repaire the spiritual Temple the Apostolick church scattered and driven abroad into the wildernes of this world Esa 2.4 Ezra 4.7 Ha. 24.10 whose calling and gathering together must be by the preaching of the word of God both to Jewes and Gentils and not by the sword of the Kings of the earth as Antichrist's and his Ministers have now along time perswaded prevailed whereby not onely the Jewes and infidels but also papists and other false Christians are hindred and deprived from the knowledge of the Apostolick faith And it is to be noted that David might not build Gods Temple because he had spilt much blood which sheweth no blood ought to be spilt for the building of the spirituall temple 1. Chro. 28.3 Ergo peace in religion is a good meanes to make a unity of religion among so many Christian sects Exod. 25.2 and 35.5 Act 2.40.41 Mat. 28 And it is wel worthy consideration that as in the time of the old Testament the lord would not have his offerings by constraint but of every man whose heart gave it freely so now in time of the gospel he will not have the people constrain'd but as many as receive the word gladly they are to be added to the church by baptism Mat. 16.16 Mat. 10.11 14. and
therefore Christ commanded his disciples to teach all nations and baptize them that is to preach the word of salvation to every creature of all sorts of nations that are worthy and willing to receive it and such as shal willing gladly receive it he hath commanded to be baptized in the water that is dipped for dead in the water and therefore the Apostle saith Else what shall they do who are baptized for dead 1 Cor. 15.19 Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 Luke 8.37 if the dead be not raised why are they baptized for dead And therefore he saith we are buried then with him by baptism c. and it is to be wel observed that when Christ would have preached the word of salvation to the Gadarens he did not compell them when they refused but finding them unwilling to receive him and his word Luk. 9.54.55 he turned from them without hurting them also when James and John saw that some of the Samaritans refused Christ they would have commanded fire from heaven to consume them as Elias did but Christ rebuked them and said Ye Know no of what spirit are for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them By all which it may please his Majesty and Parliament to take knowledg that Christ will have none consumed with fire and sword for not hearing and not receiving his Word And that howsoever it hath been the mind of Antichrist to destroy mens lives for Religion and therein have not spared neither Prince no people yet it is not the mind of Christ that Princes should destroy their subjects nor yet that Subjects should destroy their Princes for difference in Religion And therefore why should Bishops perswade Princes and people and why should King Prince and people be perswaded by their Bishops and Ministers to be contrary minded to Christ verily it is a notorious and plaine token of a false faith and discipline that is defended by fire and sword the power and authority of Princes And they cannot be Christs Bishops and preachers Christs Bps. will not bee Lords ever the consciences that perswade Princes and peoples to such antichristian tyranny and cruelty And it is very evident that those Bishops and Ministers which give over men and women to the Magistrate to be perswaded by persecution doe shew clearly that their doctrine is not good and that they want the word and spirit of God and therefore flee to the Magistrates sword for the forcing of them to their faith and discipline and as the wine is not good which we are forced to drink so those doctrines are not good which we are forced to beleeve But it may be by this time all those Bishops who unfainedly fear God and truly love the King wil haste and make speed to come unto his Majesty for pardon acknowledging the truth of this book confessing their ignorance and arrogance in the knowledge of Gods word and in compelling the people to heare the word preached and for imprisoning burning banishing and hanging for Religion contrary to the mind of Christ and also for stopping the mouths of men and burning their books that preach and write contrary to their minds and wils yea it may be they will also confesse and say Oh most gracious King we beseech your Majesty to shew us mercy and to forgive us our spirituall pride and ambition in that we have thus long usurped the blasphemous titles of spirituall Lords and Lords graces the which titles we now to the glory of God and honor of the King The Bishop â—…oe know in their consciences that this is true Iob. 32.22 Phil 2.9.11 do with unfained hearts confesse to be due and belong onely to Christ himself and that the name and title of spirituall Lord cannot belong to any earthly creature no not to the King or Emperor because it is an heavenly name and title how much lesse can it belong or be due unto us your Majesties unworthy subjects and scholars And for so much as we now understand the Lord be praised therefore that the holy and heavenly name and divine title of spirituall Lord is as much yea as high and great as the name and title of a spirituall God also that it is a name above every name which God the Father hath given unto Christ onely to the end that every knee should how unto that onely and heavenly name and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus is the Messiah the Lord unto the glory of God the Father that in all things Christ might have the preheminence for be alone is the head of the Church Col. 1.18 which is his body the which cannot bee so long as we or any other Bishops do hold and retain that divine high and superexcellent name and title of spirituall Lord because then it cannot be said that God hath so highly exalted him as to give him a name above every name seeing our names and titles are also spirituall and are called spirituall Lords so well as the son of God Iesus the messiah the remembrance hereof most gracious soveraign do make us to tremble before God and the King The Bps. in titles equall to the sonne of God And therefore we must earnestly desire your sacred Majesty and the whole Parliament to discharge and release us of these fearfull names and titles that do onely belong to the son of God Iesus the onely spirituall Lord that God hath given unto his Church Note Gods blessings iâ— expected unles these idols bee rejected who are exalted above all earthly Gods Moreover we do according to the truth acknowledge that if we should any longer retaine these divine and high names of spiritual Lords and Lords graces we should therein be intituled not only with a name equall to our Lord Iesus the onely begotten son of God but also we should be intituled with a name and title above your right excellent Majesty yea above all Emperors Kings and Princes of the earth the which alone we doe acknowledge to bee a sufficient cause to put us down and to deprive us of these usurped names and blasphemous titles Also we do confesse that our pomp and state wherein we now live is more like the Bishops of the Catholick church of Antichrist then any way like the Bishops of the Apostolick Church of Christ unto whom we acknowledge we ought to be made like and also to be qualified with the like gifts and graces of the Spirit or else in no case we can be meet Bishops for the Church of Christ as the Apostle plainely teacheth both to Timothy and Titus c. 1 Tim. 3. Tith 6.9 And we must further acknowledge and confesse that our houses housholds and revenues are more fit and meet for Princes Dukes and Earls then for the Bishops of Christ Wherfore being moved and stirred up hereto by the feare of God we earnestly beseech your Majesty and Parliament also to disburden us of this great
whatsoever For whom also and for the whole common-wealth of all his kingdoms we ought to be diligent and ready to hazard and lay down not only our goods but also our lives at all times and occasions For Christ hath onely set us free from all ecclesiasticall laws and ordinances which himselfe hath not commanded in his last will and testament yea from the ecclesiasticall laws and commandments of the old Testament Col. 2.14 Heb. 8.23 how much more hath he set us free from the ecclesiasticall laws and ordinances of Antichrist but he hath not set us free from the morall and judiciall law of God for that the King is bound to execute and we are bound to obey and for want of the execution thereof Deut 17.18 20 there are in our land many whores and whorekeepers and many children murdered besides the death and undoing of many persons about whores Wherefore I humbly desire that the morall and judicial law of God may be practised and executed of all degrees both high and low without respect of persons according to the mind of Christ for the Lord will have that every man shall love him above all and his neighbor as himself and Christ saith Luk. 6.31 As ye would that men should do to you so do yet to them likewise Therfore as the King would not have his subjects to take away his life because he is contrary to them in religion so let not the King take away his subjects lives because they are contrary to the king in religion as you would not that men should force you to a religion against your consciences so do not you force men to a religion against their consciences and as it is the duty of subjects to seek the conversion of their king State by the word of God and not his and their destruction by fire and sword So it is the duty of the King and State to seek the conversion of their Subjects by the word of God and not their destruction by fire and sword as the Pope and his Prelates doe teach Note whose vassals therein both Emperors and Kings as well as people have beene a long time both to the destruction of themselves their subjects For who knoweth not that Prelates and priests have perswaded Subjects to destroy their Kings and Princes as wel as Kings Princes to destroy their subjects 1 Cor. 3.17 6.19.20 but I pray them both to take notice that the Scripture saith he that destroyeth the Temple of God him will God destroy Let not therefore Kings Princes nor Subjects bee any longer perswaded to destroy one another through the subtletie of Bishops and their ministers who most of them onely seeke the security of their owne pompe and glory and the stablishment of their spiritual thrones therein for so long as they may confirm that they passe not who perish whether King Prince or people Again therefore I humbly pray his Majesty and Parliament to repeale and make void all popish lawes and canons and to see the moral Iudiciall law of God Frederick Iohn Palsgraves said that under pretext of the holy-ghosts office of correction little else was sought then to reigne over the consciences of the Magistrates subjects like as in the accursed popedom is come to passe c. both firmly enacted and carefully practised after the minde of Christ and them shall Christs spirituall throne be stablished in the hearts and consciences both of King Prince and People so as the Church Christs spirituall Kingdom shall increase in the knowledge of faith and obedience thereof with all love peace and charity one towards another And the common wealth of his Majesties Kingdoms will flourish and prosper and also his throne be constantly stablished both to him and his Heires throughout all his Dominions in a sure land of peace and love th' one with and towards another to the glory of God and the comfort of his Majesty and of all his Subjects and also to a famous and excellent glorious pattern of government to all Kingdoms Nations and Countries round about as in the daies of Salomon King of Israel For if the holy lawes of Gods word be practised and executed after Christs will then shall neither King Prince nor people be destroyed for difference in Religion then Treason and Rebellion as well as burning banishing hanging or imprisoning for difference in religion will cease and be laid down then shall not men women and youth be hanged for theft then shall not the poor same sick and weak ones be stocked and whipped neither shall the poore stranger fatherlesse and windowes be driven to beg from place to place neither shall the lame sick and weake persons suffer such misery be forsaken of their kindred as now they be then shall not murder whoredome and adultery be bought out for money then shall not the great defraud and wrong the small neither the rich oppresse the poore by usury and little wages then shall not men bring up and inherit others children instead of their owne neither shall an honest man be forced to live with a whore instead of an honest wife nor yet an honest woman be forced to live with a whorekeeper in stead of an honest husband Then shal not servants be forced from marriage by bonds nor yet be bound to servitude longer then six yeers neither shal they be brought up contrary to covenant nor posted from one quarter or one yeare to another for their freedom and in the end be forced to buy it of their Masters or else to goe without it too Then shall neither Prince nor people be disinherited for not being of the Church Note wel neither shall they be held lawlesse persons though excommunicated neither shal any man dare kil them as now they may and be quit by law neither shall any man feare to have his mouth stopt for preaching the truth then shall no man need to flee out of his native Countrey and Fatherland for persecution sake then shall all men live in peace under his owne vine Act. 15.28.29 21.25 lauding and praising God honoring and obeying the King Then also will no bloud be eaten among Christians whereby the Jewes should have just cause to stumble or be offended neither should any reliques of the ceremoniall law as Tithes and offerings c. be any longer in use whereby the Jewes should be hardned in their unbeliefe Jewes kept back from the faith by persecution and kept from the faith of the Messiah Then shall the Jewes inhabit dwel under his Majesties Dominion to the great profit of his Realmes and to their furtherance in the faith the which we are bound to seeke in all love and peace so well as others to our utmost endeavour for Christ hath commanded to teach all nations c. and they are the first Lastly then shall not so many Men and Women be deceived by false Ministers neither by their