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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76085	The second part of that book call'd Independency not Gods ordinance: or the post-script, discovering the uncharitable dealing of the Independents towards their Christian brethren, with the jugglings of many of their pastors and ministers, to the misleading of the poor people to the detriment of their own souls, and the hurt both of church and state, with the danger of novelties in religion; proving that Independency, is one of the most dangerous sects, that ever appeared in the world, since mortality inhabited the earth. In the which also there is a satisfactory answer given to the principall cavils of him that writ that railing pamphlet, stil'd The falshood of Mr Will. Prynnes Triumphing in the antiquity of popish princes and parliaments. With Doctor Bastvvicks just defence against some calumnies in way of preface. / By John Bastvvick, Dr in Physick.; Independency not Gods ordinance. Part 2	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.	1645 (1645)	Wing B1069; Thomason E287_9; ESTC R200091	93,218	111

listen after it The same may be said of all the former Christians and Martyrs in Ages past and of all our glorious Martyrs here in England some of which were haled before King Henry the eighth and others in Queen Maries dayes before all the Tribunals before the Judges and Rulers of the Land by which means as they gave evidence unto the truth and sealed it with their blood so it was one of the principall causes of first propagating the Protestant Religion through the Kingdome and of afterwards establishing of it here whereas if they had never been questioned for their consciences by all likelyhood it would only have remained in some corners of the Kingdome and in some private Families and never have been publickly authorized For the confirmation of all I have now said the places above cited and Christs own words might sufficiently evince But it will not be amisse to hear Pauls testimony concerning this point whose witnesse I conceive is more to be credited then all the Independents put together much lesse then this Bablers He in 2 Tim. chap. 2. vers 9. speaking by the Spirit of God concerning persecution saith Wherein I suffer trouble saith he as an evill doer unto bands but the Word of God is not bound and in 2 Tim. chap. 4. vers 7. The Lord stood with mee and strengthned mee that by mee the preaching might be fully known that all the Gentiles might heare c. Out of the which words we may observe two things First that the Apostle suffered for his conscience not for evill doing Secondly that his suffering notwithstanding hindred not the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations for he himself affirmeth the contrary saying That by his bonds the Word of God was not bound and by this his questioning and persecution the preaching of the Gospel was made fully knowne that all the Gentiles might hear c. I refer it therefore to the judgement of any learned and intelligible man whether we ought rather to believe the Spirit of God speaking in Paul or this Chatter of uncircumcised ears and lips And Paul in Acts 20.22 23. saith And now behold I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem not knwing the things that shall befall me there save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me The same also was foretold unto him by Agabus in Chap. 21. vers 11. Yet Pauls bonds neither in Jerusalem nor in any other City and his being questioned for matters of conscience about the Resurrection before Foelix King Agrippa and Festus hindred not the propagation of the Gospell to all Nations as this Jangler would infer for Paul himself testifying the contrary in his Epistle to the Philippians chap. 1. vers 12 13. But I would ye should understand Brethren saith the Apostle that the things that hapned unto me speaking there of persecution have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospell so that my bonds for Christ are manifest in Caesars Court and in all other places By this testimony also of Paul it is evident that the persecution for cause of conscience rather furthereth the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations then hindreth it as is yet more manifest through the whole story of the Acts as for one instance chap. 8. vers 4. where it is said That they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the Word And all Ecclesiasticall histories testifie the same so that by this that I have now said and many more evidences that might be produced it is clear that persecution for cause of conscience imposes not an impossibility that by it the Gospel should be preached to all Nations For persecution is the Bellowes of the Gospell driving every spark of truth into a flame So that all judicious men may see the vanity and invalidity of this Cavillers first assertion And this shall suffice to have been spoken of that Now I come to prove my second conclusion viz. That persecution for cause of conscience hindreth not the growth of grace and knowledge in the Saints yea it is so far from hindring Christians from growing in knowledge and from one measure and degree of faith unto another as this fond Babler in his second assertion would inferre as it every way improves their graces and knowledge as we may see in those in Heb. 11. concerning some of which the Lord giveth this testimony vers 34 35 c. Who through faith quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknesse were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armies of the Aliens And others were tortered not accepting deliverance that they might obtaine a better resurrection And others had triall of cruell mockings scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandred about in Sheepskins and Goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthie they wandred in Deserts and in Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth and all these having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise c. All these thrived rather by their afflictions and persecutions and increased in grace and out of weaknesse were made strong if we may believe the Scripture The same is also affirmed concerning afflictions persecution for conscience sake in Rom. 8. where Paul saith Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep to the slaughter nay in all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loved us By this witnesse of the Apostle persecution which has been the lot of the Saints all the day long that is to say in all ages is so far from hindring the increase of grace and the degrees of faith that it makes them more then conquerours through him that loved us And Peter writing to his counntrey men that by persecution were scattered and dispersed through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia affirmeth the same who in chap. 1. vers 5 6 7 c. saith That they were kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein meaning persecution ye greatly rejoyce saith he though for a season if need be ye are in heavinesse through many temptations that the triall of your faith being much more precious then that of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Jesus Christ who having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glorie receiving the end of your hope even the salvation of your soules And in chap. 3. vers 14 15. But if ye suffer

in Jerusalem after the preaching of the Gospell and in the Apostles times as were before of the Jews for they after they were Christians continued still to assemble themselves if not dayly every Sabbath day at least in their Synagogues as they were wont to do where the Apostles were all so taken up in preaching as they had no leisure for reciprocall salutations and therefore of necessity there were more congregations in the Church of Jerusalem and a greater multitude of Christians them could all meet in any one or a few places even as it was here in England in King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths dayes as I specified before there was no fewer congregations and assemblies of Protestants in London then was before of Papists for as many Parish Churches as there were in the city of London so many severall congregation of Protestants there were then through the city and they that profest Popery before did now imbrace the Protestant Religion and made so many congregations and severall Churches of Protestants as there were congregations of Papists before and as it would be accounted great absurdity yea a ridiculous thing in any man to affirm that there was but as many Protestants in London in King Edward his time or in Queen Elizabeths dayes as could all meet in one place or in one congregation so to any understanding and intelligible man it is as absurd to conclude that there were no more christians and beleevers in Jerusalem then could all meet in one place and congregation when the Scripture it self affirmeth that all Jerusalem was turned Christians and had their meetings and assemblies in the Temple and in every house and that there was many assemblies there and it stands with all reason that if there had been but one Congregation of beleevers in Jerusalem when Paul went to visit Peter that then he of necessity should have seen some at least of the other Apostles besides Peter and Iames for without doubt Paul was dayly among the Christians a preaching to them in their Synagogues or meeting places and the other Apostles also whose duty it was to be continually taken up in praying and preaching amongst them would not so long a time have layen idle and private but in that neither Paul saw them not the Apostles Paul it is a sufficient Argument to prove there were many congregations and assemblies of beleevers in Ierusalem which so imployed them all in their severall Ministeries as they had no time for mutuall visits and that was the onely cause that hindred them from saluting one another so that I conceive by that which I have now said all understanding men will gather that there were more congregations of beleevers in the Church of Jerusalem then one and that all these severall assemblies made but one Church and were all governed by the joynt consent and common councell of one Presbytery whatsoever the Independent Ministers perswade the poor deluded people to the contrary for the upholding of their imaginary Presbyterian Government which is against all Scripture Antiquity Reason and Ordinary sense And therefore I may boldly assert in their dealing with their severall Congregations when they set before them their Churches of Ierusalem Ephesus c. as consisting of but one Congregation and Assembly a peece they juggle with them for no other end but to make themselves Lords and masters of them and to get the Soveraignty in time over the people into their own hands while they would seem to be their servants And therefore it highly concerns all men that desire the peace and welfare of Church and state duly to weigh and seriously to consider the danger of Schisms and rents in either which ought to move them to study by all means how rather they make up the breaches already made and how now to unite themselves together in love and unity against the common enemies of them both then to follow such blind leaders and guides as by their factions and fractions will bring us all into the pit of destruction and expose us and our posterities to as great misery and slavery both for souls and bodies as ever Nation groaned under And as it is the duty of every private Christian in his particular family to teach and instruct his children and servants in the nurture and fear of the Lord and with all singular care to purge his house of all such as may misleade them and seduce and corrupt them that are in their tender years and not well grounded in the principalls of Religion to give them speciall charge to haunt no such places and company as by which they may be viciated in their manners or poysoned with fals and erronious doctrines and opinions as the Word of God commands both in the Old and New Testament So it is the duty of all Magistrates and Ministers in their severall places who are the Pastors of the people the one for their bodily preservation and the common peace and the other for their spirituall good to joyn together for the setting up of Gods true Worship Government and Service in all Cities Towns and Parishes through the Kingdome the one by their power and authority and the other by lifting up their voyce like a Trumpet as all the holy Prophets and Apostles did in all their generations against all false teachers and to warn the people under their severall charges to take heed of them and shun them as they either desire Gods glory their own eternall Salvation or the publike present good and the prosperity and tranquility of their off-spring in succeeding ages and to be as sedulous and diligent in suppressing errours and schisms as all the godly Magistrates and faithfull Ministers have been in their severall times whose praises for this their good work is frequently recorded in holy writ and in all the Ecclesiasticall Records to their eternall honour and renoune and for our instruction And truely if the examples of the holy Prophets blessed Apostles and godly Magistrates and of all the deer servants of God whose names and fames are glorious to all posterity in the holy Word of God will not move us then at least let us learn of the very enemies of the Papists Sectaries and Hereticks in all precedent and fore-going Generations for they as all histories and dayly experience teacheth us not onely labour to remove all such out of their families and Churches as be of a contrary opinion to them but study also to exterminate them out of their very territories if they have strength or policy so to do And if none of their examples may yet perswade us to our duty then let the example of all those that now differ from us in opinion but in the matter of government teach us what to do in this point for they will not willingly entertain any into their families that is not of their own minde and opinion nor suffer their children to be instructed in any other way then their own and shun in as

all other places where they are imbraced and how in a short time Christians minds are alienated one from the other and from the Parliament by reason of the difference of their opinion to the great rejoycing of the common enemy whose especiall hatred is against all those they call round heads that is the old Puritans of England and all the towns wherein they dwell who are and ever were since the dayes of reformation the onely upholders of the true reformed Religion and are at this day the onely bulworks of it under God and amongst those Towns that have kept out these new Factions by their care and providence Leicester Darby and Chesterfield deserve high commendations who through the prudence of their Ministers and Magistrates and through their own knowledge and the well-groundednesse of all the good Christians there in their Religion have hitherto kept out all manner of Schisms and Factions where the poor people to their immortall honour be it spoken under all their sufferings by reason of the common calamity serve their God night and day with the twelve Tribes of Israel and live in love and amity amongst themselves without any variance and in the midst of war and in these distracted times enjoy peace one with another and submit themselves with cheerfulnes without repining at all Ordinances of Parliament for the Common good and safety of the Kingdome and are most active constant friends to the uttermost of their power yea above their abilities unto the Parliament And because they are so unmoveable in their Religion and continue in their ancient integrity after the manner of the old Puritans of England they are more hated by the Cavaliers then any other towns and by all the Novelists for all the old Puritans and them they call Presbyterians are equally hated by both yea this is generally observed That all Papists and prophane persons in generall and all Sects whatsoever although they disagree amongst themselves and differ in their manners opinions and affections too one from another as Herod and Pilate did yet to persecute Christ as they did then agree so all these Sects can accord and joyne together in a common amity and with the Pontificians and Malignants persecute the Presbytery which is next unto the Word of God an Argument to move me to beleeve that it is Gods Ordinance because it is so hatefull to all men for as our Saviour said of his Disciples That they should be hated of all men for his names sake so generally all Gods constitutions finde little favour amongst all such as leave the high way of Gods Commandements and follow the by-way of errours and Novelties and continue in the pathes of irregeneration or new-fanglenesse the sin of these times when Heresie is Religion and Schism the best trade in the Kingdome and the onely way of preferment And truely the contemplation of the change of all mens minds and manners within these few years and those rents and divisions in the Church makes me call to minde the old plot that the Jesuits and their complices and all the Popish crew have been long a laying and contriving for the undermining of the State and overthrowing of the true Protestant Religion which was dividie impera The Jesuites had nothing more common by heart and by book then that the way for the alienating of these three flourishing Kingdomes to a forain jurisdiction and for the extirpating of the true Religion in them and reducing again of popery and for the advancing of the Papal usurpation was first to make sects and divisions among our selves and then to foment them by some of their crafty companions who want neither wit learning nor industry and know very well how to personate every man in saying doing counselling and complying with all sorts of Sects as if they themselves were the most zealous defenders of those conceived truths and the greatest abettors of them when under that vaile they hide themselves and do not only maintain those that are on foot and such as they have already hatcht but daily bring forth new ones and every one more monstrous then other and all this for the subversion of the three Kingdomes and the true Protestant Religion established in them and which is the cause of all the calamities that are now amongst us But for the effecting of all this they seem to pretend a singular holinesse and more then ordinary piety and put themselves therefore in sheeps-clothing in all their actions and plead for a christian liberty and therefore they especially labour to hinder any setled government in the Church but such an one as they well know will bring confusion upon us all and which no wise state can tolerate and yet none but this will please their humour and therefore they labour principally to make odious the Presbyterian government which the Ponteficians and all prophane men and all Sectaries and Hereticks have ever hated and therefore have alwayes indeavoured to make it odious to all people as a government tending to inslave Kings and Princes and distructive to all well ordered Common-weals and to the liberty of the subjects and to the destroying of the Nobility and Gentry in kingdomes and for the making of a parity amongst all men and a community of all things and by this means in a short time to bring in a confusion in Church and State And by such suggestions as these they have for many generations as in these our times made the Presbyterians hatefull to all men And it is the study at this day of all the Malignants and of all Libertines Male-contents and Sectaries and of all the Independents to make divisions betweene people and people and between Nation and Nation and to render those men despicable that they seemed but a few years before highly to honour love and magnifie as now they do our Brethren of Scotland whom they seemed not long since greatly to esteeme and who yet ought and that deservedly to be exceedingly honoured for their love to us who exposed their own lives and welfare yea their whole country to danger for our aide assistance and defence and yet these men now with our Novelists and all unstable creatures those Reeds shaken and turned with every winde of doctrine and every streame of new opinions as much as in them lies are made as hatefull as any common enemies to the dishonour of God and our Nation and shews great unthankfulnesse in us all to the deterring of any Nation to come to our succour or relief and all this their malice and hatred is because they have set up the Presbyterian government amongst themselves and desire for the more uniting of the three Kingdomes to gather in a more nigh affection to establish it here wherein they have done God and the Kingdome good service and will finde a reward in Heaven for it if they fail of it here and it will not be for the honour of our Nation to suffer any black mouthes

much as in them lyes the very company of such as they count Presbyterians and rarely if ever come at our assemblies And in New-England it self it is well knowne that they doe not only cast those out of their Churches that differ from them in opinion but also expose them to banishment and to greatest misery and think all they do to be their duty and publish it to the world for the imitation of all other their Churches and Congregations and I am most assured had they the authority in their own hands here in England they would be as severe towards the Presbyterians as ever the Prelates were against the Puritans And I am induced so to believe both from their words and writings for what can be more bitterly uttered against them then that they daily speak upon the least occasion if any but preach or write the least thing in opposition to their opinions professing that all such Preachers ought to be hanged and had they the power in their hands they would trusse them up as many can testifie and witnesse and in their writings how prodigiously daily they abuse with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and with all reviling speeches the Presbyterians all that have patience to reade their blasphemous Pamphlets can tell so that whiles in them they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions they will not tollerate the Presbyterians to defend their own by which they sufficiently declare what favour they would shew them if they were in their hands on whom they look as the profest enemies of Christs kingdome Now I say if neither the example of Gods dear Saints and Servants nor the Word of God can move us to our duty nor the example of the Papists and Hereticks of all ages then at least let us follow the example of our Brethren both in New-England and Old-England for they as all men know remove all from them that differ from them in their Church-way and seperate themselves from us and gather congregations by by themselves Independent refusing to communicate with us as an unholy people and not suffering or permitting us to communicate amongst them in the Ordinances either of baptisme or the Lords Supper but upon their own tearmes and account us all as unclean things and to be separated from which I affirme should move all solid Christians and such as truly and unfeinedly desire that God may be glorified and his truth every where set up to oppose all their errors and novelties in religion under what pretenses soever they be brought in and under whatsoever seeming holinesse they be set forth and so much the more care is to be had and diligence used both by the Magistrates Ministers and all the reall godly of the land by how much they know the craft and subtilty of those that seduce them for there was never yet any Sect whatsoever that came to any rise perfection or name in the Church of which the first venters and contrivers had not some seeming shew of godlinesse and holinesse of life and that more then ordinary to which they usually added the bravery of language and fine alluring speeches and cunning craftinesse as they were many of them men of singular elocution and deep subtilty as the Prophets and Apostles through the whole Scripture signifie And Paul in the 16 chap. of his Epistle to the Romans speaking of those that made divisions contrary to the doctrine that he had taught them hath this expression Verse 18. For they that are such saith he serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Here we see the false Teachers of his time made use of good words faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple And in Gal. 4.14 the Apostle there exhorting them saith Henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive In this place the Apostle gives all Christians a charge to take heed of all erroneous doctrines and withall sets down the manners and ordinary carriage of all seducers that they might be the more carefull to shunne them for such saith he use in the deceiving of you the flight of men and cunning craftinesse This has ever been the method of all false teachers as Saint Peter also in his 2 Epistle chap. 2. vers 1 2 3. c. witnesseth for speaking of the false teachers of those times he lived in and of those in future ages that should bring in damnable doctrines even denying the Lord that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift distruction he foretels also that many should follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth should be evilly spoken of And then also he sets down the manner and customes of those seducers and amongst other things he saith of them that through covetousnesse and with their faire words they should make merchandize of the people So that we may see all false teachers clothe their craft with their rhetorick and fained words for otherwise they would prevaile but little Now by how much more the Christians in this our age have to deale with a generation of cunning and crafty Juglers who seeme to equallize if not to transcend all others in holinesse and godlinesse in their outward cariage at least it concerneth every one I say more diligently to take heed of them and of all their new-wayes their new born truths and their New-lights for God himselfe by his holy Prophets and blessed Apostles has commanded us not to decline from those wayes we have learned of him and those truths that he hath taught us in his holy Word Neither to the right hand nor to the left Dut. 4.5 Iosh 1. Prov. 4. Nay if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then God hath taught us by Christ and his Apostles we are to account him accursed Gal. 1. And in the expresse words above specified we are prohibited to be carried about with every wind of doctrine So that all those that vent those new-truths and set up those new-lights which are all indeed new-lights of doctrins be they never so seemingly holy are all cunning deceivers fighters against God And all those Christian Magistrates for ought I know that tollerate such and all those orthodox Ministers that connive at them and are so meal-mouthed as they dare not preach against them and forwarne the people of them neglect their duty and are not faithfull Watchmen over their flocks committed to their charge and are blameworthy for it And all those people that being so often taught by God himself in the holy Scriptures to take heed of all such as come to them in sheeps clothing and with their fained holinesse with their fair speeches to deceive them and make merchandize of them and yet will not take heed of these novelties doe as much as in

and presuming of a mighty party came on with the more animosity and God gave them the victory and to God in the first place belongs the glory of that action and our brethren the Independents might have had a great deale more honour then they had had they not so vilified all the other Armies and applauded themselves to strengthen their faction and make their party more great and powerfull that then they may in time be masters of the Presbyterians and give lawes to them all who we know they bear as mortall a hatred to as the very Papists and Cavaliers as all their words preachings and Pamphlets witnesse for their malice it is notoriously known and it is so exceeding great as it is expressed every day against any that but dissent from them in opinion and their very looks shew it for most of them carry envie and malice in their faces towards the Presbyterians so that I can speak by my own experience I know not any Independent in England a Kinsman of mine and his Wife excepted that was alwayes a true Nathaniel and through their hypocrisie mislead that do not as maliciously and implacably hate the Presbyterians as the mortallest enemies they have in the world and as for my own particular I could not hitherto being in any of their companies since they perfectly knew my resolution enjoy the very lawes of civility amongst them so that I have been both privately publickly reproached by them without offending of them in thought word and deed by which I may boldly conclude it is a meer faction and the most Pharisaicall proud envious and malitious Sect that ever sprung up for they hate all the Presbyterians for no other cause but that they differ from them in opinion which neither the old Brownists nor the ancient Anabaptists either did or do for they are the same to me that ever they were when we were fellow prisoners many of which were by the Prelates cast into the Gatehouse where I lay and they neither then nor now thought the worse of me for my differing opinion from them but at this day shew me the same curtesie when I either go to them or they come to me that ever they did and have defended me often against the Independents when they rayled of me that I was a Presbyterian and affirmed to their knowledge that I had ever been of that minde since they knew me and that was as they said twenty years and they told them they saw no reason I should not be left to the liberty of my conscience as well as they were to theirs neither did they see any cause why the Independens should be offended with any that differ'd from them and all this the Anabaptists and the Brownists have spoken in my behalfe so that a man may well perceive those poore people do what they do out of a conscientious ignorance and that the Independents doe all out of an arrogant faction who are as cunning as Gypsies and all to make a party by which they may attaine to their own ends which I am afraid will tend to the ruine of us all if the Lord prevent it not And I am the more induced to believe it because I see all their preaching tends to faction for at some times so unstable they are they would seem in their Sermons to be as meek as Lambes and they tell the people how glad they should be of a good agreement and accommodation between us and then they relate unto them also that the difference is very little and so small that one would wonder that there should be such a contention and so great a feud about it this they speak in great Assemblies Now let all men consider the genious of these Independents They make the difference very little What contentious spirited men then are these that go about to make a faction through three Kingdoms yea through the world for that which they proclaim themselves a thing of nothing And notwithstanding what they have preacht but a Sermon before in a moderate way in another Sermō they are all fire and toe speaking nothing but Daggers and daring and all their discourse tends to no other end but to strengthen their faction to set up Independency and to exasperate the people against the Presbyterians as so many Esaus Persecutors And for ought I can understand their private meetings tend to nothing else but to strengthen their party where they ordinarily pray for the of the Presbyterians of whom they usually say if there be any children of the Devill in the Kingdome they are the Presbyterians and one of their fat Pastors not long since in one of their Conventicles amongst his joyned Members being in his prayer brake out into this expression We blesse thy name holy Father saith he that thou hast kept us hither to out of the hands of our Brethren meaning the Presbyterians who they look on like so many Persecutors and Esau's out of whose hands Jacob prayed God to deliver him so that their uncharitablenesse is seen in their very prayers And nothing as I said before pleaseth these men more then to hear of any breaches amongst the Presbyterians and of differences betwixt Nation and Nation and of the multiplication of their faction for not long since in one of their private meetings where they pray for the subversion of the Presbyterians one of their society said unto an Independent Minister that was come to officiate amongst them Sir saith he I will tell you some newes What is that replyed he There were Letters intercepted going into Scotland from some of the Committee of that Nation wherein they made a great complaint that Independency daily increased in England and that there was mighty multitudes of them in London and through the kingdome Oh brave saith he oh brave Nay saith the other I will tell you more What is that replyed the Gentleman The Scots and the English saith he are like to go together by the eares about the shipping and coales of Newcastle Better and better saith he now it begins to work So that whereas David said What a joyfull thing it is to see Brethren live together in unity these Independents rejoyce and glory to see and hear when Brethren are like to fall together by the eares And therefore if such as these be men of God or Angels sent from Heaven they are much unlike and different from that Ho●st that appeared unto the Pastors in the second of Luke who after they had preached unto them the good tydings of great joy in their Doxalogy and praising of God they said Glory vnto God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men But the Independents rejoyce at ill-will amongst men and at divisions and wars and that among christian-brethren And a great man of that fraternity not many moneths since in a Knights Chamber gloried to me as of a matter of triumph to think they had hindred the work of

hated of all men for my Name sake but he that endureth to the end he shall be saved And Luke 21.12 13. our Saviour saith there to his Disciples Before all these they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Assemblies and into prisons and bring you before Kings and Rulers for my Name sake and this shall turn to you for a testimoniall And John 15.20 Christ speaking to his Disciples Remember saith he the word I speak to you the Servant is not greater then his Master if they have persecuted me they will persecute you also c. And Chapter 16. vers 1 2. These things have I said unto you that ye should not be offended they shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service So that the preachers of the Gospel must expect all manner of injuries not only from open enemies but from such as seem to be of the same Family and the very Pillars of the Church And in John 20.18 he foretelleth Peter That howsoever when he was young he went whether he would yet when he was old he should be be led whether he would not And so in Mark 13. vers 9. The doctrine of Persecution for the cause of Christ is preached unto all the Apostles where Christ saith They shall deliver ye up to Councels and to the Synagogues and ye shall be beaten and be brought before Kings and Rulers for my sake for a testimony unto them And in Acts 9. vers 15.16 The Lord said unto Ananias go thy way for he is a chosen vessell unto me speaking of Paul to beare my Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Names sake And Saint Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 3. vers 2 3. sending Timothy to comfort them concerning the faith that no man should be moved by their afflictions and persecutions gives them his reason why they should be of good courage and endure them patiently For saith he for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto so that every one that will be Christs Disciple must denie himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow him Luke 9.23 he must look for and expect persecution for it And in 2 Tim. 3.11 12. Thou hast known saith Saint Paul to Timothy my persecutions and afflictions which I suffered but from them all the Lord delivered me yea all that will live godly in Christ Jesus saith he shall suffer persecution Innumerable places to this purpose might be produced out of all which this truth may evidently be gathered for the comfort of all Gods people and such as suffer persecution for his names sake That it is the will of God that they should suffer for the Gospel and that they are called upon this condition to endure affliction and persecution as being one of the meanes and wayes God useth to bring them to life eternall and endlesse glory the knowledge and hope of which supporteth them in all their tribulations and persecutions As is evident in 1 Pet. 5.10 Heb. 10.34 Heb. 11.26 And therefore from this apparent truth and from all the places above specified I gather these two conclusions The first That persecution or questioning any for conscience sake imposes not an impossibility that by this means the Gospel should be preaced to all Nations The second That the questioning of any for matters of conscience inferres not an impossibility that such as know but in part should grow in knowledge or from one measure and degree of faith unto another as that Author in his first assertions falsely affirmeth And for proof of my first conclusion and the confutation of his first Position the foregoing places abundantly declare it for the Apostles were to be haled before Kings and Rulers for this very end That they might give witnesse unto the Gospel and by that very meanes that the Gospel might come to be preached and published to all Nations for so Christ asserteth and when he told Ananias in the ninth of the Acts that he had chosen Paul to be a vessell to carry his Name to the Gentiles and before Kings in the words following he signifieth by what meanes he should carry his Name before the Gentiles and Kings and that was by his sufferings and persecutions for saith Christ I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my Names sake for he being in all places wheresoever he came questioned for his conscience was committed to prison as an evill doer and haled before the Tribunals of the Rulers and Kings of the Earth by which meanes he had an opportunity to preach unto them the Gospell of JESUS CHRIST and the doctrine of faith and repentance which he did before Foelix and King Agrippa and Festus and after before Caesar to whom for justice he appealed as his supreame Judge on earth And to many mighty men Princes and Nobles besides and to many other people out of all countries that frequent Kings Palaces and Courts of judicature to learn knowledge and wisdome and to get experience so that his persecution and questioning for matters of Religion and conscience were so farre from hindring the course of the Gospell as it greatly promoted it as afterwards it will appear for had not Paul and the other Apostles been haled before Rulers and Governours for their conscience they should never have had an opportunity or any occasion to have come into their presence and therefore Christ that knew the best way of proclaiming the glad tydings of peace to all the Nations of the Earth made the cruell persecution of the Adversaries the very way of promulgating the Gospel to the whole World and so by his infinite wisdome brought good the salvation of his people out of their evill And to speak nothing but what all Histories both ancient and moderne relate this hath ever beene Gods method by the persecution and scattering of his people into all Nations to make his Name known through the whole Earth And all men may know that have read the Histories of those times that the haling and citing of Luther before the Emperour of Germany for matters of conscience and Religion was one of the chiefest means of propogating the Protestant profession through all those Westerne Countries for his stout defending of the truth there against Ecchius and his undaunted behaviour in the maintaining of the Gospel made the World take notice of it and by this his publick witnessing for the truth it came to be divulged every where whereas if he had never been questioned and called before the Emperour there is little probability that there would ever have been any notice taken of it by the great men of the World But when they perceived that the mighty Princes of the Earth thought his Doctrine worthy the regarding the Nobles and Peers of Kingdomes also then began to