their Traditions Mat. 15.6 And Act. 13.27 The Rulers of Jerusalem the High-Priests Scribes and Pharisees knew not Christ nor yet the words of the Prophets which they heard read every Sabbath but fulfilled them in condemning him And our Saviour saith Mat. 11. I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding And none of the Pharisees nor Rulers believed on him Joh 7.48 And 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world Hath not God made the wisdom of this world follishness And ver 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called c. And for the Learned since the time of our Saviour The Council of Ephesus were where 132 Bishops Of Seleucia where were 160 Bps related by the Protestants How grievously did they erre in decreeing the detestable Error of Arrianism Who is ignorant knowing the Histories that from time to time both particular Popes and general Councils have grosly erred in many things only one we will mention passing by Trent and others The Council Lateren we mean Pope Innocent 1215. which for universality was behind none where were present 2 Patriarchs 70 Archbishops Metropolitans 400 Bishops 12 Abbot 800 Conventual Priors the Legats of the Greck and Roman Empire besides the Ambassadors and Orators of the Kings of Jerusalem France Spain England and Cyprus In this Council it was decreed That all Hereticks and so many as do in any point resist the Catholick Faith should be condemned c. And also that the Secular Powers of what degree soever they be shall be compelled openly to swear for the defence of the Faith that they will to the uttermost of their power root out and destroy in all their Kingdoms all such persons as the Catholick Church hath condemned for Hereticks and if they do not they shall be excommunicated And if they do not reform within one whole year then the Pope may denounce all their Subjects absolved and utterly delivered from shewing or owing any fidelity or obedience towards them Again that the Pope may give that Land to be occupied and enjoyed of the Catholicks to possess it all Hereticks being rooted out quietly and without any contradiction Tho. Beacon in his Reliques of Rome printed 1563. And the Protestands confess that this imperfection hath hung so fast upon all Councils and Churches that Nazianzen saith He never saw any Council have a good end Thus are here sufficient Testimonies proved from Scriptures and Experience That the Learned may and have usually erred and therefore the holy Scriptures often warn us To beware of false Prophets for many are gone out into the world Mat. 24. and 1 Joh. 4. And will not your Majesty your Highness your Honours your Worships be pleased to consider of these things but will your selves submit the guidance of your Souls to the learned Spirituality as they are called without due examination by the Scriptures which if you will stil do we can but bewail with the sorrows of our hearts and not so only But will you with your Power which God hath given you to use well compel and constrain your Subjects and Underlings to believe as the Learned believe not suffering us to reade or search the Scriptures Which if you abhor as being the Romish practice Will you do that which is worse letting us reade the Scriptures whereby we may know the Will of our Heavenly Master and have our Consciences enlightned and convinced but not suffer us to practise that we learn and know whereby our Sin and Condemnation is made greater than the blind Papists as is proved Luke 12.47 And not only so but will you consâ—â—ain us to captivate our Consciences and practise in that which in our â—â—â—ls we know to be evil and contrary to the manifest Law of the Lord and that only because the Learned have so Decreed whom you acknowledge are subject to erre aswell as others or else lye in perpetual Imprisonment and be otherwise grievously persecuted May it please you to observe that the Church of Rome seeth and acknowledgeth in words That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and hath abolished the Priesthood of Aaron and the legal Sacrifieces but the Jews see it not to this day nay the High-Priests Scribes and Pharisees saw it not but for the publishing thereof persecuted Christ the Lord and his Apostles unto the Death calling their Doctrine Heresie and them seditious Enemies to Caesar c. For the which we all justly condemn them for their wickedness so often as we reade the holy History And the Church of England seeth and acknowledgeth divers damnable Doctrines of the Church of Rome this among many That the Scriptures are not the only Rule of Faith but that men ought to be constrained to believe as the Church believes The Protestants see the iniquity of this because they see and acknowledge all Churches are subject to erre But the learned Papists see it not but have decreed That whosoever resisteth in any point shall be judged as an Heretick and suffer fire and faggot and every Temporal Magistrate that doth not root such Hereticks out of their Dominions shall be excommunicated and if he do not reform he shall be expelled his earthly Possessions and his Subjects freed from owing any fidelity or obedience towards him c. For the which height of iniquity the Protestants and we justly cry out against them for all the innocent blood that they have shed And we see most manifestly that what soever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 And without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And therefore that no mortal man may make a Law to the Conscience and force unto it by Persecutions and consequently may not compel unto any Religion where Faith is wanting as hereafter more largely we prove But the Learned of this Land see it not or rather will not practise it but for our not submitting herein procure your temporal Sword to persecute us by casting us in Prisons where many of us have remained divers years in lingring Imprisonment deprived of all earthly comforts as Wives Children Callings c. without hope of Release till our God for the practice of whose Commandments we are thus persecuted perswade the hearts of your-Majesty your Highness your Honours your Worships to take pitty upon us our poor Wives and Children or His heavenly Majesty release us by Death Will not succeeding Ages cry out against the Cruelty of the learned Protestants herein aswell as they cry out against the Cruelty of the learned Jews and Papists yes we are assured they will as many millions do in other Nations at this day The Scriptures declare the cause of the Jews blindness was not the obscurity of the Scriptures but that they winked with their eyes lest they should see that which would deprive them of their honours and profits
are upon us in that it is in your power to redress them and especially at this present in this High Meeting assembled for the publick weal of all your loyal Subjects Our miseries are long and lingring Imprisonments for many years in divers Counties of England in which many have dyed and left behind them Widows and many small Children taking away our Goods and others the like of which we can make good probation not for any disloyalty to your Majesty nor hurt to any mortal man our Adversaries themselves being Judges but only because we dare not assent unto and practise in the Worship of God such things as we have not Faith in because it is sin against the Most High Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 as your Majesty well observeth in these words It is a good and safe Rule in Theology That in matters of the Worship of God Quod dubitas ne fereris according to Pauls rule Rom. 14.5 Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind Medit. on Lo. Prayer If we were in error herein these courses of afflicting our bodies for Conscience cause are not of Christ but of Antichrist as hereafter is most plainly shewed And if no Church be the Rule of Faith but only the holy Scriptures as the learned Protestants do truly confess and that therefore the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that all must believe as the Church believes and so practise or else be cruelly persecuted be most ungodly as it is then how can they avoid the like censure that practise the same thing contrary to their own Judgement For the learned Protestants do say it is high cruelty for the Papists to constrain them to practise those things in Gods Worship which they have not Faith in nay which they know to be evil with Imprisonment Fire and Faggot and therefore why may not we say it is great cruelty for the learned Prorestants to constrain us to practise such things in Gods Worship which we have not Faith in Nay which we certainly know to be evil with lingring Imprisonment loss of Goods and what other cruelties they can procure against us of your Majesty and the Civil State If your Learned say they have the Truth and we are in Errour that resteth to be tryed by the true Touchstone the holy Scriptures If they be our Judges the Verdict must needs go against us If their sayings be a safe Rule for us to be saved by we will rest upon them And then why may not the saying of the Papists be sure also and they be the Protestants Judges and so bring us all to believe as the Church believes The iniquity of which we have discovered as briefty as we could beseeching your Majesty and all that are in Authority to hear us It concerneth our eternal Salvation or Condemnation and is therefore of great importance for what can a man give for the ranfom of his Soul Oh he pleased to remember the saying of that great and good man Job chap. 29. I delivered the Poor that cryed and the Fatherless and him that had none to help him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the Widows heart to rejoyce I was a Father to the Poor and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently I brake also the jaws of the unrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Our prayers are and shall be for you day and night to that God of glory by whom you reign and are advanced that He will pat it into your hearts to let these things enter into your thoughts and then we doubt not the evidence of them being such that you will be moved to repeal and make void all those cruel Laws which we most humbly beseech which persecute poor men only for matters of conscience not that we any way desire for our selves or others any the least liberty from the strict observation of any Civil Temporal or Humane Law made or to be made for the preservation of your Majesties Person Crown State or Dignity for all that give not to Caesar that which is his let them bear their burden but we only desire that God might have that which is his which is the heart and soul in that Worship that He requireth over which there is but one Lord Eph. 4.5 and one Law-giver who is able to save it or to destroy it Jam 4.12 which no mortal man can do It is not in your power to compel the heart you may compel men to be Hypocrites as a great many are who are false-hearted both towards God and the State which is sin both in you and them The vileness of persecuting the body of any man only for cause of Conscience is against the Word of God and Law of Christ It is against the profession of your Majesty against the profession and practice of famous Princes The antient and later approved Writers witness against it so do the Puritans yea the establishers of it the Papists themselves inveigh against it so that God and all men do detest it as is herein shewed And therefore in most humble manner we do beseech your Majesty your Highness your Honours your Worships to consider of it and do as God directeth you in his Word that cannot lye Let the Wheat and Tares grow together in the world until the harvest Matth. 13. And so in humble manner we proceed CHAP. I. The Rule of Faith is the Doctrine of the Holy Ghost contained in the Sacred Scriptures and not any Church Council Prince or Potentate nor any mortal man whatsoever PRoved by the Scriptures themselves which are the Writings of Moses and the Prophers the Evangelists and Apostles these are a sufficient Rule alone to try all Faith and Religion by our Reasons are 1. They are inspired of God and are able to make us wise unto salvation and perfect to every good work 2. Tim. 3.15 c. 2. Because these Writings are written that we might have certainly of the things whereof we are instructed Luke 1.4 That our joy might be full 1 Joh. 1.4 And that we might believe and in believing might have life John 20.31.3 We are commanded not to presame or be wise above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 For with this weapon Christ put to flight the Devil Mat. 4.4 And taught his Disciples Luke 24.27 46. And Paul taught Christ Jesus Acts 17.2 The Godly are commended for searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 All are commanded to search them John 5.39 And they that will not believe these Writings will not believe Christs Words John 5.47 nor one that should come from the Dead Luke 16.31 If any ask how we know all or any of these Scriptures to be inspired of God We answer The ear saith Job 12.11 discerneth words and the mouth tasteth meat for it self And as the eye discerneth the light of the Sun so doth our Spirit discern these Scriptures to be inspired of God and that for these
Reasons 1. In regard of the Majesty Wisdom and Grace of them from all other Writings for there is a great Glory in these Scriptures as in the making of this wonderful World which is most evidently discerned Heb. 11.1.2 By their Teachings which excel all humane teachings leading us from Satan from this world and our selves to God to holiness faith love fear obedience humility 3. The true events of them or fulfilling of the Prophesies contained in them 4. The consent and agreement of all the parts of them the like whereof cannot be shewed of so many several Writers since the world began 5. The admirable preservation thereof against Time and Tyrants all which could not extinguish them 6. The Devil and his Instruments rage against those that practise the Doctrines contained in them 7. The Conversion of thousands to God by the power of their Doctrine 8. The Vengeance that hath come upon such as have not obeyed them 9. The Acknowledgment of them by the very professed Adversaries thereof 10. The Miracles confirming them from Heaven 11. The fight of a Saviour to man is only by and from them And lastly the simplicity of the Writers and plainness of the Writings for God hath chosen the mean contemptible and despised to manifest unto the world his Mysteries 1 Cor. 1. These are sufficient to perswade that those holy Writings are inspired of God and so able to make wise unto Salvation and perfect to every good work These Scriptures contain the Law and Testimony and if any Church Council Prince or Potentate speak not according to this Word it is because there is not light in them Isa 8.20 And we are commanded to hold them accursed Gal. 1.8 9. For Whosoever shall adde unto these things God shall adde the plagues written herein and whosoever shall take away from these things God shall take his name out of the Book of life and out of the holy City and from those things that are written Revel 22. Much by us shall not need to be written on this Subject the thing is so evident and so generally acknowledged at least in words excepting the Papists with whom we have not here to do only we will adde some humane Testimonies Whites Way to the Church dedicated to two Bishops pag. 12. The learned Protestants affirm and prove that it is the doctrine of the Church of England Artic. 6 chap. That the Scripture comprehended in the Old and New Testament is the Rule of Faith so far that whatsoever is not read therein or cannot be proved thereby is not to be accepted as any point of Faith or needful to be followed but by it all Doctrines taught and the Churches Practice must be examined and that rejected which is contrary to it under what title or pretence soever it come unto us And further they say p. 1. That the Pope or any mortal man should be the Rule that must resolve in questions and controversies of Faith is an unreasonable Position void of all indifferency when common sense teacheth That he that is a party cannot be Judge And again pag. 17. Which is the Church is controversal which is the Scriptures is not therefore let that be the Rule which is out of doubt And again The Scriptures contain the Principles of our Faith and shall we not believe them Or cannot we know them infallibly of themselves without we let in the authority of the Church This and much more the learned Protestants have written and sufficiently confirms that no Church nor man whatsoever may be the Judge Rule or Umpier in matters of Faith but only the holy Scriptures and whosoever teacheth and practiseth otherwise they must hold and maintain the Papists Creed or Colliers Faith which the Protestants so much in words detest pag. 6. and mention our of Staphilus his Apology thus The Collier being at the point of death and tempted of the Devil what his Faith was answered I believe and dye in the Faith of Christs Church Being again demanded what the Faith of Christs Church was That Faith said he that I believe in Thus the Devil getting no other Answer was overcome and put to flight By this Paith of the Collier every unlearned man may try the spirits of men whether they be of God or no by this Faith he may resist the Devil and judge the true interpretation from the false and discern the Catholick from the heretical Minister the true Doctrine from the forged If the Answer of the Collier and the Papists Conclusion upon it be not sound but detestable as the Protestants confess and cry wo unto the Papists for the same and that justly Then is it no less detestable in the Protestants or any other to require or any to yeeld so far in Religion and Faith that upon such a temptation he hath no better answer to make than as the Collier to say I believe and dye in the Faith of the Church or of the Prince or of the Learned for being demanded what that Faith is if he be not able to prove it by Gods Word contained in the Scriptures it is no better nor other than the answer of the Collier The Faith that I believe in Oh how many millions of souls in this Nation not Papists but Protestants live and dye and have never other Faith than this whereunto they are constrained and compelled by persecution without either Faith or Knowledge CHAP. 2. The Interpreter of this Rule is the Scriptures and Spirit of God in whomsoever THe next thing as the immediate Question from this former is Who must interpret this Rule because as is objected There are many dark places in it 2 Pet. 3 hard to be understood Unto which we answer The two Witnesses of God shall be the onely Interpreters therof which are The Word of God contained in the same Scriptures and the Spirit of God so are they called Joh. 15.26 27. Act. 5.32 First for the Scriptures themselves though some Doctrines in some places be dark and obscure as Peter speaketh yet the self-same Doctrines in other places are plain and manifest For all the words of the Lord are plain to him that will understand and streight to them that would find knowledge Pro. 8.9 And knowledge is easie to him that will understand Prov. 14.6 Secondly the Spirit of God So saith the Apostle 1 John 2.6 It is the Spirit that beareth witness for the Spirit is Truth And John 14.26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you And Joh 16.13 Howbeit when he is come which is the Spirit of truth he will lead you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear shall he speak and he will shew you of things to come And 1 Cor. 2.10 For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And ver 11. For the
Question Do you seek the Glory of God and the Salvation of my soul herein or your own Obedience Ant. I seek the Glory of God and the Salvation of your Soul and not my own Obedience Ch. Then manifest it not by words only but by deeds and truth which if you do you will not threaten me with punishment to cause me to come but with meekness and patience satisfie my Conscience by the Word of Truth for this is the duty of the Minister of Christ 2 Tim. 2.24 that I may come with a willing mind so shall I be accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 Psal 110.3 For if by threatning me with punishment as Imprisonment Banishment or Death you cause me to bring my body and not my spirit or soul so shall I come near to the Lord with my lips when my heart shall be far from him which he accounteth vain worship and hypocrisie Mat. 15. Ant. I perceive what you aim at you would have none brought to Church but such as come willingly of themselves so should every man worship God as himself pleaseth Ch. Your Conclusion I aim not at for I acknowledge that as there is but one God so there is but one way of worshipping him out of the which way whosoever is and repenteth not thereof shall pay a dear price and therefore it standeth all men upon not to please themselves in worshipping of him But you perceive aright that I aim at this That none should be compelled to worship God but such as come willingly for I will by Gods assistance prove most evidently by the Scriptures that none ought nor can be compelled to worship God to acceptance by any worldly means whatsoever Ant. Prove that Ch. Well I prove what I have affirmed thus First Heb. 11.6 Without Faith it is impossible to please God and Rom 14.23 Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin These two Scriptures prove most evidently that whatsoever I have not Faith in in worshipping God although it were undoubtedly true I may not offer it up to God for it is displeasing to him and it is a sin against him As also it appeareth plainly by him that came unto the Kings Supper and wanted his wedding garment Matth. 22. Ant. It is the Kings Law that you must go to Church and therefore you must be obedient Ch. The intent of the Kings Law is not so as appeareth both by the Statute for the Oath of Allegiance and also by his Majesties own words manifested in his Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance as is hereafter more fully declared For if the intent of the Law were to make me come to Church to worship God and not of Faith the intent of the Law were to compel me to sin which his Majesty requireth not Ant. I deny not but whatsoever is not of Faith is sin but we would have you come to Church to worship God in Faith Ch. It is not so you regard not whether I have Faith or no for if you did you would not urge the Kings Law against me which is but a carnal weapon and cannot beget Faith and therefore is no sure ground of Faith For in my obedience to God I must not presume above that that is written 1 Cor. 4.6 For the Word of God is the only ground of Faith Rom. 10.17 and therefore if you would have me come in Faith you would only urge the Law of the King of kings against me Ant. Have not all the Learned of the Land considered of these things and set them down Are such simple men as you likely to see more than all these Ch. I demand of you whether they be not all subject to erre as all men are and therefore I must try their spirits whether they erre or no 1 Joh. 4.1 For I may not hold either that they cannot erre or that if I find them to erre I must obey them notwithstanding do you not herein teach me that Popish and accursed Doctrine that you inveigh so much against in the Papists That I must believe as the Learned of the Land believe Ant. I do not hold that they cannot erre Ch. Yes you hold either that they cannot erre or if they do erre I must obey them for if I do not obey them you threaten me with punishment Ant. Nay but I hold that they being Learned do not erre and therefore you must obey them Ch. Then this is your Argument The Learned do not erre and therefore must be obeyed The Bishops and the rest of that rank are learned and do not erre and therefore they must be obeyed Another Argument as vain as they may be collected from this ground The Learned do not erre and therefore must be obeyed The Pope and the rest of that rank are learned yea as learned as yours and do not erre and therefore they must be obeyed The one is as true as the other but both abominable If you prove that they that want this Learning must not meddle with the wayes of God but as these learned men teach them then indeed you say something but if you cannot as most certain it is you cannot for the Word of God is against you herein then for shame to God and men leave oft your cruel persecuting For why do you persecute men that cannot in faith submit to your direction concerning the wayes of God upon which consisteth their Salvation if they walk in the true way of Faith with the love thereof and their Condemnation if they walk in a by-path Ant. Then I perceive if a man can plead that he hath not Faith in any thing which the King commands he need not to be obedient Ch. Would God all men could see your dealing herein This is your usual course when your mouth is stopped by the power of Gods Word that you know not what to answer then you run to the Kings Command and so make your matters good like unto your predecessors the wicked Scribes and Pharisees who when our Lord and Master had stopped their mouthes that they had no word of answer then they sought to make him a trespasser against Caesar but I have learned in some weak measure that as there is a Caesar unto whom in conscience I must be obedient So there is another King one JESUS that is King of kings unto whom if you will not be obedient in giving unto God that which is Gods He will tear you in pieces when there shall be none that can deliver you and cast you into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore where there shall be no rest day nor night and therefore agree with this your adversary quickly whilst you are in the way with him The Power and Authority of the King is earthly and God hath commanded me to submit to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.13 14. and therefore I have faith to submit to what Ordinance of Man soever the King commands if it be an humane Ordinance and not against the manifest Word of
from City to City and from house to house Indif In those dayes the Magistrates were Vnbelievers but the question is where Magistrates are Believers Ch. Christ had all power needful for that work if Magistracy were a power needful for that work then Christ had not all power Magistracy is Gods blessed Ordinance in its right place but let not us be wiser than God to devise him a means for the publishing of his Gospel which He that had all power had not nor hath commanded Magistracy is a power of this world the Kingdom Power Subjects and means of publishing the Gospel are not of this world Ant. A goodly thing indeed that men must go about the Country to preach Ch. In your estimation it is base and contemptible your Pomp and Pride will not bear this it is more easie for you to hunt after Promotion till you come to the highest in getting to be chief Bishop of Bishops within these Dominions and then cometh your fall full low if you repent not But the wisdom of God hath appointed the chiefest Officers of Christs Kingdom even the Apostles thus basely to go up and down to and fro to preach the Gospel yea that worthy Apostle Paul preached this Gospel night and day with many tears openly and throughout every house Act. 20. Indif But if this be thus as for my own part I am fully perswaded it is then I see the High Commission cannot stand for as I take it it is only for Causes Ecclesiastical Ch. So far as it is over Church-matters it is most unlawful for the Commission for judging and punishing of the transgressors of the Laws of Christs Church is given to Christ the Monarch thereof a part whereof he hath left to his Disciples which is no worldly Commission or Power but only the Power of the Lord Jesus the uttermost of which Commission is Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. Ant. The High Commission is from the King and dare you once call it into question Ch. If I do take any authority from the Kings Majesty let me be judged worthy my desert but if I defend the Authority of Christ Jesus over mens souls which appertaineth to no mortal man whatsoever then know you that whosoever would rob him of that Honour which is not of this world he will tread them under foot Earthly Authority belongeth to earthly Kings but spiritual Authority belongeth to that one spiritual King who is KING of Kings Ant. Well all your pleading will not serve your turn either you must come to Church or else go to Prison Ch. I have shewed you by the Law of Christ that your course is most wicked to compel any by Persecution to perform any service to God as you pretend Now I desire also to shew you that the Statute Law of the Land requireth only civil obedience and his Majesties Writings maintaining the Oath of Allegiance testifie the same The Law of the Land requireth that whosoever cometh not to Church or receiveth not the Sacraments the Oath of Allegiance is to be tendred to them which that it may be manifest to all that not only I but all that profess the Faith with me are most willing to subscribe unto it in faithfulness and truth I have thought good to express it The words of the Oath Anno 3 Jacobi Regis I A. B do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess and testifie and declare in my conscience before God and the World That our sovereign Lord King James is lawful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries And than the Pope neither of himself nor by any other Authority of the Church or Sea of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King or to dispose of any his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any forreign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty or to give licence or leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violonce or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any Declaration or Sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successors or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea against the said King his Heirs or Successors or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear Faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successors all Treasons and traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear that I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable doctrine and position That Princes which be Excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murdered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in conscience am resolved that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully ministred to me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and Acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true Faith of a Christian So help me God Ant. This Oath was intended for the Papists and not for you Ch. It is not so for his Majesty at the last Session of Parliam Anna 1609 saith thus Some doubts have been conceived anent the using of the Oath of Allegiance and that part of the Act that ordains the taking thereof is thought so obscure that no man can tell who ought to be pressed therewith c. And therefore if there be any scruple touching the ministring thereof I would wish it now to be cleared c. And thereupon this Statute was made Anno 7. Regni Regis Iacobi c. Chap. 6. towards the latter end And if any person or persons whatsoever of or above the age of eighteen years do now stand or at any time hereafter shall stand and be presented indicted and convicted for not coming to Church or receiving the Lords Supper according
may be in short I demand of you what Covenant the Lord meanthe here It must be granted he meaneth either the Covenant of the Land of Canaan with all the Promises thereof or the Covenant of Christs coming of his lyons concerning the flesh or else the Covenant of Life and Salvation by Christ one of these three it must needs be Let me have your Answer or any mans hereto Indif The first and second cannot be pleaded therefore it must be the third namely Life and Salvation by Christ Ch. VVell then I demand Have the fleshly Children of the Faithfull more priviledge to Life and Salvation than the Faithful themselves Indif No I think it cannot be said Ch. VVell then I affirm that the Faithful have right to this Covenant of Life and Salvation only upon their Repentance and Faith and not otherwise and so have their Children and not otherwise except you will say they have greater priviledge thatn the Faithful or else that they have Life and Salvation by their Parents Faith or else that they have right and title to it whether they repent and believe or no. If any say they have right and title to it by Gods Promise I answer God hath promised Life and Salvation by Christ to none that are under Condemnation but only by Repentance and Faith let any shew the contrary if they be able If any say as some foolishly have done being urged That it is the Covenant of the visible Church what Covenant is that but the Covenant of Life and Salvation made to the Faithfull Christ Body and Church And therefore seeing they are so confounded herein some teaching one thing and some another some that Infants have neither Faith nor Repentance but by vertue of the Covenant made to their Parents Others teach that Repentance and Faith is to be performed of every one that is to be baptised and that Infants may repent and believe by their Sureties till they come to age themselves Seeing I say they are thus confounded herein having nothing in Christs perfect Testament only some shew of a forged consequence and also that they agree not amongst themselves Let us take heed of prophaning the Lords holy Ordinance administring it where he hath not commanded Many other things might be said but this may suffice seeing much is already written and more may be ere long knowing they have nothing to say but their several conceits Indif I praise God you have given me great satisfaction in these things What must we do after our Baptism Ch. As the Saints our predecessors did They that glady received the Word were baptized and they continued in the Apstles doctrine fellowships breaking of bread and prayers Acts 2. walking in fear towards God and in love in word and deed one towards another according to the blessed rules in Christs Testament and also justly and unblamably towards all men that they may cause their Conversation aswell as their Doctrine to shine before men that men may see their good works and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven without the which conversation all profession is nothing Indif It is a great stumbling-block to many that divers who profess Religion walk corruptly in their conversation it is a great cause that the wicked open their mouthes against Gods Truth Ch. Alas it is most lamentable but Gods People must know it hath been and will be so unto the end of the world And therefore Christ Jesus hath appointed means for the redressing thereof in his Church Mat. 18. and 1 Cor. 5 c. And we may not justifie or condemn any Religion whatsoever by mens personal walkings May we say the Religion of the Philosophers was good because of their moral vertues or that the Religion that Judah and David professed was evil because of Judahs Incest and Davids Adultery and Murder Gen. 38. 2. Sam. 11. or the Religion of Christ evil because that one that professed it fell into Incest I Cor. 5. Gods People had need to take heed of sinning whereby to cause the adversaries to blaspheme for the which God may make them examples to all succeeding ages Ind. I give you hearty thanks for your pains with me in these things and I trust I shall not let them slip but remember them all may life and put them in practice Ch. The glory and thanks thereof only belongeth to God for to him it is due but this I desire you to consider that the knowing of the Will of God without practising of it doth us rather hurt than good the Scripture saith Not the knowers but the doers are justified Rom. 2.13 Jam. 1.12 And He that knows his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Many there be in this Nation with grief of soul I speak it that acknowledge and confess the Truth but praclise it not for some respects or other the Lord Perswade all your hearts to the speedy practice thereof and that by many examples that are left unto you David that man of God saith I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Psal 119.60 The Disciples Mat. 4. immediately without tarrying followed Christ The three thousand the same day they were informed obeyed the Lord and were baptized Acts 2. The Samaritans Acts 8.12 assoon as they believed were baptized both men and women The Eunuch likewise ver 38. The Jaylor Lydia Paul and a cloud of witnesses communing not with flesh and blood but obeyed the Lord assoon as they believed Here was no staying to hear what this and that learned man could say against it as now a dayes but as they were confidently perswaded thereof they obeyed And so I am assured it shall be by little and little as the kingdom of the Beast diminisheth Indif I hope I shall testifie to all my speedy walking in the steps of these holy men but one thing there is yet which bath much troubled me and others and in my judgment hat much hindred the growth of Godliness in this Kingdom and that is That many so soon as they see or fear trouble will ensue they flie into another Nation who cannot see their conversation and there by deprive many poor ignorant souls in their own Nation of their information and of their conversation amongst them Ch. Oh! that hath been the overthrow of Religion in this Land the best able and greater part being gone and leaving behind them some few who by the others departure have had their afflictions and contempt increased which hath been the cause of many falling back and of the adversaries exalting But they will tell us we are not to judge things by the effects therefore we must prove that their flight unlawful or we say nothing And frist Whereas it is said by some of these flyers that many of the People of God fled into forreign Countries and that God gave approbation thereof as Moses David our Saviour Christ in his infancy and other thinking hereby to justifie this their
that shineth unto all there is no obscurity in it hear you it you that be far off and you that be nigh Next him Austin God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity of Babes and sucklings that when proud men will not speak to their capacity yet himself might After him Chrysostom The Scriptures are easie to understand and exposed to the capacity of every Servant and Plowman and Widow and Boy and him that is most unwise Therefore God penned the Scriptures by the hands of Publicans Fishermen Tentmakers Shepherds Neat-herds and unlearned men that none of the simple people might have any excuse to keep them from reading and that so they might be easie to be understood of all men the Artificer the Housholder and Widow woman and him that is most unlearned Yea the Apostles and Prophets as Schoolmasters to all the world made their Writings plain and evident to all men so that every man of himself only by reading them might learn the things spoken therein Next Justin Martyr saith Hear the words of the Scripture which be so easie that it needs no exposition but only to be rehearsed And this the Protestants say was the perpetual and constant judgment of the antient Church c. And further pag. 21. he alledgeth Theodoret who writ of his times You shall every-where see these points of our Faith to be known and understood not only by such as are Teachers in the Church but even of Coblers and Smiths and Websters and all kind of Artificers yea all our Women not they only which are Book-learned but they also that get their living with their Needle yea Maid-servants and Waiting-women and not Citizens only but Husbandmen of the Country are very skilful in these things you may hear among us Ditchers and Neat-herds and Wood-setters discoursing of the Trinity and the Creation c. The like is reported by others And say the Protestants his Doctrine that was President in the Trent-Conspiracy That a Distaff was fitter for Women than a Bible was not yet hatched c. Oh it were well if the contempt of these pious practices were paled only within the Romish profession and were not practised in and among those that profess themselves to be separated there-from as what is more frequent in the mouthes of many Protestants yea the Bishops themselves than these and such like words Must every base fellow Cobler Taylor Weaver c. meddle with the exposition or discoursing of the Scriptures which appertains to none but to the Learned Yea do they not forbid their own Ministers to expound or discourse of the Scriptures read their 49 Canon which is No person whatsoever not examined and approved by the Bishop of the Diocess or not licensed as is aforesaid for a sufficient and convenient Preacher shall take upon him to expound in his own Cure or elsewhere any Scripture or Matter or Doctrine but shall only study to reade plainly and aptly without glozing or adding the Homilies already set forth or hereafter to be published by lawful Authority c. So that not only Jesus Christ and his Apostles who are alive in their Doctrine though not in their persons are forbidden all exposition of the holy Scriptures or Matter or Doctrine not being licensed by the Bishops but also their own Ministers who have sworn Canonical obedience to them Yet when they are put to answer the Papists who practise the same thing they take up both Scriptures and antient Writers to confute it CHAP. 5. The Learned in humane learning do commonly and for the most part erre and know not the Truth but persecute it and the professors of it and therefore are no further to be followed than we see them agree with Truth THe next thing in order is seeing the Lord revealeth his secrets to the humble though wanting humane Learning that we now prove on the contrary That God usually and for the most part hideth his secrets from the Learned and suffereth them to erre and resist the Truth yea so far as to persecute it and the Professors of it And first let us begin with the Learned Heathen who were behind none in humane Learning the wise-men of Egypt how did they resist the glorious and powerful Truth of God delivered by Moses yea they resisted it with such signs and lying wonders that the heart of Pharaoh and all his people were hardned against it Exod. 7.11 12 13. and 8.7 And what was the cause of Babels destruction but their trusting in the Learned Isa 47.13 Thou art wearyed in the multitude of thy Counself c. And Isa 44.25 I destroy the tokens of thy Southsayers and make them that conjecture fools and turn the wisemen backward and make their knowledge follishness The things of Gods dealing none of the Learned of Egypt or Babel could interpret but Joseph and Daniel Next come to the learned Priests and Prophets of the Jews Whose lips should have preserved Knowledge and at whose mouth the people should have sought the Law But saith the Lord Mal. 2.7 8. They are gone out of the way they have caused many to fall by the Law c. Also Isa 29. Stay your selves and wonder they are blind and make you blind they are drunken but not with Wine they stagger but not with strong drink for the Lord hath convered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes the Prophets and your chief Seers c Therefore the Lord said Because this people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me was taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will again do a marvallous work in this people a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid c. And Isa 56.10 c. Their watchmen are all blind they have no knowledge c. And these Shepherds cannot understand for they all look to their own way every one for his own advantage and for his own purpose Also Jer. 8.9 c. The wise-men are ashamed they are afraid and taken lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisdom is in them c. And Jer. 14.14 c. and 50.6 My People have been as lost sheep their Shepherds have caused them to go astray and have turned them away to the mountains c. And Micah 3. Night shall be unto them for a vision and Darkness for a divination the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the Day shall be dark over them c. For they have no answer of God they build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity c. And Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and wicked persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary they have wrested the Law And in the time of our Saviour How had they made the Commandments of God of no authority by
as Joh. 11.48 And because their fear towards God was taught by mens precepts and because they looked to their own way and to their own advantage and had rejected the Word of the Lord and because they builded their Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity and sought their own honour and not Gods as before is proved So the cause of the blindness of the learned Papists in denying the Scriptures the only Rule of Faith is not the obscurity of the Scriptures but their winding with their eyes lest they should see that that would bring them from their honours and profits and all the forenamed in the Jews And also as the Protestants well observe Whit. pag. 18. First That they might make themselves Judges in their own cause For who seeth not that if the Church be the Rule of Faith and their be the Church which way the verdict will go Next for that the greatest points of their Religion have no foundation on the Scriptures c. So that take away the Scriptures and establish their Religion but establish the Scriptures and their Religion vanisheth and that Mother of Whoredoms that glorified her self as a Queen Rev. 18. shall be consumed and her Merchants that were waxed rich through her pleasures and profits shall wail and weep the which they now seeing shut their eyes lest they should see that which would bring them from these honours profits and pleasures In like manner it may easily be judged by every indifferent man that the cause why the Learned of this Land will not see or at least practise that seeing there is but one Lord Eph. 4.5 and one Law-giver over the Conscience Jam. 4.12 Therefore no man ought to be compelled by persecution to a worship wherein he hath not Faith is not the obscurity of the Scriptures but their winking with their eyes lest they should see that that would take away their honours and profits For if Bribes blind the eyes of the Wise Deut. 16.19 then Honours and Profits much more For who seeth not if none should be compelled by persecution to worship God in Spirit and Truth such only worship Him and none but such are required to worship Him Joh. 4.23 that these Learned would lose their Honours Profits in being Lords and Law-makers over the conscience souls of men although your Majesty might lawfully give them what temporal Honours and Profits your Highness liked of These are the true causes of the blindness of the Learned For so Christ saith How can ye believe when ye seek honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God alone Joh. 5.44 And how can men but be blind in gods Mysteries when they look to their own way for their own advantage and for their own purpose for having rejected the Word of the Lord what wisdom is in them they have no answer of God that build up their Sion for so they account their Churches and Professions with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity as before is proved If these Learned could free us from the Lords wrath or if they might answer for us and we be free it were safe for us to submit our selves and captivate our judgments and practice to them but seeing they cannot so much as deliver their own souls And that if the blind lead the blind both must fall into the Ditch Mat. 15.14 and Every one must give account of himself to God and be judged by his own works done in the flesh and that the soul that sinneth shall dye We dare not follow any mortal man in matters of salvation further than we know him to agree with the meaning of God in the Scriptures Paul the holy Apostle of Jesus Christ taught That we should follow him no otherwise than he followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Yea Christ himself sent men to the Scriptures to try his Doctrine The Apostles suffered their Doctrine to be tryed and commend them that try it And the Protestants confess Whit. pag. 127. This Doctrine was never misliked till a Church rose up whose Silver being Dross and whose Milk Poyson could not endure the tryal which being true that we may try why may we not also judge and practise according as Gods Spirit shall direct us in our tryal If a man should drink poison and know it to be poison were he not in a worse estate than he that should drink it ignorantly not knowing thereof even a murderer of himself in the highest degree So he that drinketh spiritual poison knowing it for according unto mens faith it is unto them he is in a worse estate and a murderer of his own soul in the highest degree And therefore that Church or those Learned that will suffer their Doctrine to be tryed and yet constrain men to receive and practise it when upon examination their consciences are convinced of the falshood thereof are worse and do more highly sin than they that constrain a blind conscience though both be evil We despise not Learning nor Learned men but do reverence it and them according to their worthiness only when it is advanced into the seat of God and that given to it which appertaineth unto the holy Ghost which is to lead into all Truth than ought all as Ezekiah did unto the brazen Serpent detest it and contemn it CHAP. 6 Persecution for cause of Conscience is against the Doctrine of Jesus Christ King of Kings 1. CHRIST commanded that the Tares and Wheat which are those that walk in the Truth and those that walk in falshood should be let alone in the world and not plucked up until the harvest which is the end of the world Mat. 13.30 38 c. 2. The same commandeth Mat. 15.14 That they that are blindly led on in false Religion and are offended with him for teaching true Religion should be let alone referring their punishment unto their falling into the Ditch 3. Again Luke 9.54 55. He reproved his Disciples who would have had Fire come down from Heaven and devoured those Samaritans that would not receive him in these words Ye know not of what spirit ye are the Son of man is not come to destroymens lives but to save them 4. Paul the Apostle of our Lord teacheth 2 Tim. 2.24 That the servant of the Lord must not strive but must be gentle towards all men suffering the evil men instructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the Truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil c. 5. According to these aforesaid Commandments the holy Prophets foretold that when the Law of Moses concerning Worship should cease and Christs Kingdom be established then all carnal weapons should cease Isa 2.4 Micah 4.3 4. They shall break their Swords into Mattocks and their Spears into Sithes c. And Isa 11.9 Then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the Mountain of my Holiness c. And when he