cry Helpe you men of Ephesus helpe O Inhabitants of Ierusalem c. Or must we fly up to Heaven by Prayers and Curses to fetch downe Fire upon the persecuting Captains and their fifties This doe the Nations this doe false Christs and Christians but this did not this will not doe the Lambe of God the Lyon of Iudah's Tribe who with his Word and Spirit alone which the Father hath promised to put into his Mouth and the Mouth of his Seed and the Mouth of his Seeds Seed Isa. 59. will either kill or save the gain-saying Opposite The Second sort to vvit opinions of Incivility doubtlesse the Opinions as well as practices are the proper Object of the Civill Sword according to that Magna Charta for the civill Magistrate Rom. 13. and that true Apothegme or saying Ex malis moribus bonae leges Good Laws occasioned by Evill manners But ought not the civill Magistrate to repeal their Ordinance for Tithes and also to appoint some course for the maintenance of the Ministry I answer Upon that Ground of Removing Soule Yoaks and not Restraining nor constraining conscience I humbly conceive that the civil State cannot by any Rule from Christ Iesus either forbid the payment of Tithes to such whose conscience is to pay them or enjoyne them where the conscience is not so perswaded For the further clearing of which assertion I distinguish of the People of this Nation into two sorts First Such as have a Freedome in their minde to frequent the Publick Parish Assemblies of the Nation and they are also of two sorts First Such as conscienciously frequent such places either out of a consciencious zeale of worshipping of God or out of a superstitious and traditionall awe Secondly such as can goe or not goe and care not what Religion themselves and the State be of There is a second sort of people in this Nation which out of conscience dare not frequent such Places and they are such First Such as indeed feare God and are in their consciences perswaded of an indelible Character of Holinesse upon such Temples as Temples dedicated to a Parish worship Secondly Such as out of an utter dislike of all Protestant Worship and an high esteem of their owne Catholick Faith are as far from love to such places as the former sort Now all these Consciences yea the very conscience of the Papists Iewes c. as I have proved at large in my Answer to Master Cottons washings ought freely and impartially to be permitted their severall respective Worships their Ministers of Worships and what way of maintaining them they freely choose But if the civill state injoyne not the maintenance of the Ministry If they quite let loose the Golden Raines of Discipline as the Parliament exprest and the Scots objected What will become of the Ministry of the Gospel and the Soules of men For if each mans conscience be at Liberty to come to Church or not to Pay to the Minister or not the prophane and loose will neither pay nor pray but turne Atheisticall and irreligious The Ministers of Worship will be discouraged and destitute and Parents will have little mind to expend their Monies to make their children Scholars when the Hope of their preferment is cut off I answer First that Supreame Court in their Declaration never Declared to barre up all the Doors and Windows of that Honorable House so that no further Light from Heaven should breake into their Souls and councels from the most glorious Sun of all Righteousnes the Lord Iesus Although the Loose will be more loose yet possibly being at more Liberty they may be put upon consideration and choice of wayes of life and peace yet however it is infinitely better that the Prophane and loose be unmasked then to be muffled up under the veile and hood of Traditionall Hypocrisie which turnes and duls the very edge of all conscience either toward God or Man Thirdly It is not to be doubted but that each conscience the Papists and the Protestants both Presbiterians and Independents will aemulously strive for their not onely conscience but credit sake to excell and win the Garland in the fruits of bounty c. Thus a Iesuite once in New-gate boasted of the Papists charity to a Protestant put in also for his conscience by the Bishops for pulling out his hand full of Gold look here said he are the fruits of our Religion Fourthly Such Parents or children as aime at the gaine and preferment of Religion doe often mistake Gaine and Gold for Godlinesse God-belly for the true God and some false for the true Lord Iesus I adde such Priests or Ministers as can force a maintenance of Tithes or otherwise by the Sword or else cease preaching for want of such or such a maintenance or can remove from Bishopricks or Benefices as Calves and Bulls of Bashan for fatter and rancker Pastures or wanting spirituall worke and maintenance are too fine to worke with their hands as the first Patternes Christ first Ministers did how can they say as Peter to Christ Iesus Lord thou knowest all things Thou knowest I love thee c. therefore Lastly The Father of Spirits graciously be pleased to preserve the Spirits of our higher powers from laying on of Hay and Stubble though upon the Golden foundation Christ Iesus for all such worke in matters spirituall which our Forefathers either Popish or Protestant in their severall changes in this Nation have made they have been consum'd and burnt like Hay and stubble and come to nothing The Summa totalis of all the former particulars is this First since the people of this Nation have been forc't into a Nationall way of Worship both Popish and Protestant as the Wheels of times revolutions by Gods mighty providence and permission have turned about The civill state is bound before God to take of that bond and yoak of Soul-oppression and to proclaime free and impartiall Liberty to all the people of the three Nations to choose and maintaine what Worship and Ministry their Soules and Consciences are perswaded of which Act as it will prove an Act of mercy and righteousnesse to the inslaved Nations so is it of a binding force to ingage the whole and every Interest and Conscience to preserve the Common-freedom and peace However an Act most suiting with the piety and Christianity of the holy Testament of Christ Iesus Secondly The civill state is humbly to be implored to provide in their high Wisdome for the security of all the respective consciences in their respective meetings assemblings worshippings preachings Disputings c. and that civil peace and the beauty of civility and humanity be maintained among the chiefe opposers and dissenters Thirdly It is the duty of all that are in Authority and of all that are able to countenance incourage and supply such true Voluntiers as give and devote themselves to the service and Ministry of Christ Iesus in
Scribes and Pharisees in the uppermost seats in Synagogues and Feasts in Reverend titles and salutations as the only Masters and Teachers of Religion and godlinesse and all this in the way of the Hireling dividing Dan. 11. the whole Land for gaine so that there hath not been roome without some speciall and extraordinary priviledge and license for the poorest Cottager to live in England out of the Bishops Diocesse and the Priests Parish and Payments therefore Thirdly In all humble reverence and due submission to the Higher Powers I affirme there was never meerly Civill State in the World for that of the Iewes was mixt and Ceremoniall that ever did or ever shall make good work of it with a civill sword in spirituall matters and therefore have but builded pluckt down planted and pluckt up Churches Ministries Disciplines c. I acknowledge with thankfulnes that many heavenly Spirits in K Edwards Q Elizabeths days and since that have been forming and reforming the states and nations Religion Worship Ministry c. Doubtlesse Intentions were holy as Davids labours great Gods mercy and pity and patience infinite yet experience long and ever hath told us That there was never a Nation yet born in a day to God That the bodies of all Nations is a part of the world and although the holy Spirit of God in every Nation where the Word comes washeth white some Blackamores and changeth some Leopards spots yet the bodies and bulks of Nations cannot by all the Acts and Statutes under heaven put off the Blackamores skin the Leopard spots c. O why then should the wisedome of so many Ages still each after other be preacht by the prevailing Hirelings of each time againe and again into the selfe-same delusion of washing the Blackamore c There is not a Towne nor a Parish nor a person in England but judge themselves christian and to that end challenge the right and use of a Minister in sacris some as in all Religions in the world it is to serve the Dietie they worship ex officio as Sacerdotes or holy persons for and with them in prayers and holy Rites This mine eyes have often seen among thousands of the wild yet wise Americans who yet alas as all the Nations of Europe and the world are utterly uncapable of Formes and Ministers or Officers of Christian worship while yet in their naturall and worldly capacities not borne againe made spirituall and heavenly by the holy spirit of God Yet Fifthly I desire uprightly to be far from divers waights and measures in the things of God especially and therefore I desire not that liberty to my selfe which I would not freely and impartially weigh out to all the consciences of the world beside And therefore I doe humbly conceive that it is the will of the most High and the expresse and absolute Duty of the civill powers to proclaim an absolute freedom in all the 3 Nations yea in all the world were their power so large that each Towne and Division of people yea and person may freely enjoy what worship what ministry what maintenance to afford them their soul desireth To this end I am humbly bold to offer that it is not the will of the Father of Spirits that all the consciences and spirits of this Nation should violently Vi armis be forced into one way of worship or that any Towne or Parish so called in England Scotland or Ireland be disturbed in their worship what worship soever it be by the civill sword If the people freely choose that way of worship and ministry and maintenance they walk in yea if they will freely pay them the Tenths or Fifths I shall not envy their Ministers maintenance nor disturb either minister or peoples conscience by any other sword but with that spirituall sword of two edges the sword of Gods spirit the holy word of God Grant the bodies of the Nations to be but naturall but civill and therefore cannot without the changings of Gods spirit be possibly fit as spirituall flocks of sheep for spirituall Pastors or shepheards to feed and build them up with the spirituall Ordinance of Christ Iesus yet need they not a converting or begetting ministry of Christ Iesus to preach Repentance to them to spiritualize and change them And if so where shall ten thousand Ministers be had to goe to about that number of Parishes in England without the constant supplies of the seed-plots and Seminaries the Vniversities of the Nation I answer First there are great Disputes among Gods people whether Apostles or Messengers sent out to teach and baptise that is to Convert the Nations be yet an Ordinance of Christ Iesus continued or being extraordinary ceased There is a great dispute whether the Ministry of the twelve Matth. 10. or of the 70 Luk. 10. be continued since they both had an immediate call from Christ And secondly Such excellent gifts abilities and furniture from Christ which now we find none are furnished with as healing the sick raising the dead casting out Devils c. Further whether all these gifts and administrations Ephes. 4. 1 Cor. 12. be to be expected For my selfe I am sure of two things First It is but little of the World yet that hath heard of the lost estate of mankinde and of a Saviour Christ Iesus and as yet the fullnesse of the Gentiles is not yet come and probably shall not untill the downefull of the Papacy Yet Secondly The Ministry or Service of Prophets and Witnesses mourning and Prophecying in Sack-cloath God hath immediately stirred up and continued all along the reigne of the Beast and Antichrist of Rome This Witnesse is probably neer finished and the bloudy storme of the slaughter of the Witnesses is yet to be expected and prepared for But this and the time and many passages of Revel. 11. is Controversiall and something like that of Christs expected personall presence the state of the New Ierusalem the new Heavens and Earth c. However this is cleare that all that are betrusted with spirituall or temporall Tallents must lay them out for their Lord and Master his Advantage That all of what rank soever that have knowledge utterance of heavenly Mysteries therein are the Lords Prophets Witnesses against Antichrist must Prophecy against false Christs false Faith false Love false Ioy false Worship and Ministrations false Hope and false Heaven which poor souls in a golden dream expect look for This Prophecy ought to be chiefly exercised among the Saints in the companies meetings and assemblies of the fellow-mourners and witnesses against the falshoods of Antichrist If any come in as in 1 Cor. 14. yea if they come to catch God will graciously more or lesse vouchsafe to catch them if he intends to save them But for the going out to the Nations Cities Townes as to the Nations Cities and Townes of the World unconverted untill
the downefall of the Papacy Revel. 18. and so the mounting of the Lord Iesus and his white Troopers againe Revel. 19. c. For the going out of any to preach upon hire for the going out to convert sinners and yet to hold communion with them as Saints in prayer For the going out without such a powerfull Call from Christ as the twelve and the seventy had or without such suitable gifts as the first Ministry was furnished with and this especially without a due knowledge of the Period of the Prophecies to be fulfilled I have no Faith to act nor in the Actings and Ministrings of others for There is but one God Lord and Spirit from whom those Gifts Administrations and Operations proceed 1 Cor. 12. without whose holy heavenly concurrence in all those three both Gifts and Administrations and operations instead of Glorifying the name of Christ and saving Souls we may Blaspheame his Name and grieve his spirit and hinder and harden poor souls against Repentance when by fellowship in prayer with them as with Saints we perswade them of their already blessed state of Christianity and that they are New-born the saints and sons and daughters of the living God therefore Lastly If it shall please our most Noble Governours to search into the institution and constitution as they have done of the Diocesan so also of the National and Parish Churches concerning which I shal humbly subjoyn some Queries in the close of all If they please to take off the Yoaks the Soul Yoaks of binding all persons to such parochiall or parish formes permitting them to injoy their own belief whether within or without such Parish worships Parish maintenance Parish maryings Parish Buryings by which the souls and consciences of so many have been inbondaged in life and death and their bodies in respect of buryings after death If they shall please so far if not to countenance yet to permit impartially All consciences and especially the consciences the meetings and assemblings of faithfull and conscionable people the Voluntiers in preaching Christ Iesus so as that what people and persons please may peaceably frequent and repaire to such spirituall meetings and assemblies as they doe the Parish Churches I am humbly confident that as to the point of converting souls to God so far as the present state of Christianity can be so promoted the souls of thousands will blesse God more then if Millions of Hirelings were sent abroad from all the Vniversities both of Popish and Protestant Countries Fourthly 4 Upon the grounds first laid I observe the great and wonderfull mistake both our owne and our Fathers as to the civill powers of this world acting in spirituall matters I have read as blessed Latimer once said the last Will and Testament of the Lord Iesus over many times and yet I cannot finde by one tittle of that Testament that if he had been pleased to have accepted of a temporall Crowne and Government that ever he would have put forth the least finger of temporall 〈◊〉 civill power in the matters of his spirituall affairs anâ—Kingdome Hence must it lamentably be against the Testimonâ— of Christ Iesus for the Civill state to impose upon the Soules of the People a Religion a Worship a Ministry Oaths in Religious and Civil affairs Tithes Times Days Marryings and Buryings in holy ground yet in force as I have I hope by the helpe of God fully debated that great Question with Master Cotton and washt off all his late washings of that bloody Tenent of Persecution c. What is then the expresse duty of the Civill Magistrate as to Christ Iesus his Gospell and Kingdome I answer I know how wofully that Scripture Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers c. hath been abused and elswhere I have at large discussed that and other such Objections At present I humbly conceive that the great Duty of the Magistrate as to spirituals will turne upon these two Hinges First In removing the Civill Bars Obstructions Hinderances in taking of those Yoaks that pinch the very Soules and consciences of men such as yet are the payments of Tithes and the Maintenance of Ministers they have no faith in Such are the inforced Oaths and some ceremonies therein in all the Courts of Iustice such are the holy Marryings holy buryings c. Secondly In a free and absolute permission of the consciences of all men in what is meerly spirituall not the very consciences of the Iews nor the consciences of the Turkes or Papists or Pagans themselves excepted But how will this Propagate the Gospell of Christ Iesus I answer thus The first grand Design of Christ Iesus is to destroy and consume his Mortal enemy Antichrist This must be done by the breath of his Mouth in his Prophets and Witnesses Now the Nations of the World have impiously stopt this heavenly breath and stifled the Lord Iesus in his Servants Now if it shall please the civill State to remove the state bars set up to resist the holy Spirit of God in his servants whom yet finally to resist is not in all the powers of the world I humbly conceive that the civill state hath made a fair progresse in promoting the Gospel of Iesus Christ This Mercy and freedome is due to the meerly religious consciences of all men in the world Is there no more due from the Magistrate to Christ Iesus his saints and Kingdome I answer While I pleade the Conscience of All men to be at Liberty doubtlesse I must plead the Liberty of the Magistrates conscience also and therefore were his bounties and donations to his Bishops and Ministers as large as those of Constantine who but the holy Spirit of God in the mouths of his Prophets can restrain him Onely let not Caesar as Constantine in his setled prosperity did rob the God of Heaven of his Rights the consciences of his subjects their heavenly Rights and Liberties But under the pretence of propagating the Gospell of Christ Iesus it may be said what horrible opinions and Spirits will be vented as woefull experience hath manifested I answer Opinions offensive are of two sorts some savouring of Impiety and some of Incivility Against the first Christ Iesus never cald for the Sword of Steel to helpe the Sword of the Spirit that two-edged Sword that comes out of the mouth of the Lord Iesus And therefore if a world of Arrians deny the Deity of Christ Iesus If a Maniche his humane nature If the Jews deny both and blasphemously call our Christ a Deceiver Nay if the Mahumetans the Turkes the greater number by far of one Religion in the World if they I say pefer their cheating Mahomet before him What now must we raile revile c. and cry ou Blasphemers Hereticks Must we run to the Cutlers shop the Armories and Magazines of the Cities and Nations Must we run to the Cities or Nations and Senates and