sinful men subject to the like passions and frailties with others yet they have heavenly treasure contained in them q 2 Cor. 4. 7 they being sent to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that so they may receive remission of their sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus r Acts 26. 18 they are called Angels for their power and honour Å¿ Rev. 1. and can do more with their Keyes than the greatest Kings of the earth with their Swords for they only can cut off men from the earth and destroy the body t Mar. 10. 28 but these can exclude men from heaven and deliver their Souls over to Satan u 1. Tim. 1. ult which even Theodosius the Emperour confest when he was Excommunicated by St. Ambrose w Theod. hist Eccles l. 5. c. 17 Mihi autem non modo ad Templum verum etiam ad Coetum ipsum accessus perclusus est c. And St. Paul exercis'd upon Hyminaeus and Alexander that they might learn not to blaspheme As the Priests pronouncing a person unclean the people were to put him out of the Congregation x Numb 5. 2 So the Ministers of Christ pronouncing a person unclean the Congregation is to put away from their Society such a person y 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 13. till the Minister doth Absolve him z 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 c. In a word Christ speaks with their tongues from Heaven a Heb. 12. 25 they are w 1 Tim. 1. 20 placed by Christ and the Holy Ghost to feed the flock Christ hath purchased with his bloud b Acts 20. 28 they are Rulers of the Churches c Heb. 13. 7 and the glory of Christ d 2 Cor. 8. 23 Now if their Calling be more laborious and perilous more profitable and honourable than all other Professions Offices and Callings there is no reason nor Conscience but that their Persons should be Reverenced then Wages and Maintenance should be proportionable in some sort thereunto that so their Doctrine may be esteemed and they themselves may have sufficiency both to keep Hospitality which they of all others are obliged to do e Tit. 1. 8 A Bishop or Elder ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they are to belovers of Hospitality and of good men and to buy Books Food and Cloathing for themselves and their Families by which means they may be the better able to perform well their Callings and with the more joy and chearfulness endure their perils and hardship and may with the more gravity reverence and honour and success preach the Word and administer the Sacraments and Censures of the Church to the glory of God and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath sent them and to the greater benefit and comfort of his Churrh to whom they are sent lastly to the etâ—â—nal salvation both of the preachers and of them that are taught by them who are free and bountiful in giving to them in the name of Prophets for they shall receive the Prophets reward f Mat 10. 41 Qâ—i Prophetam sua largiâ—ate sustentat quam vis ipse Prophetiâ—m non habet apud Deum tamen prophetis praemium habebit August Ex. loc Maâ—th 10. For hereby they shall be fellow-helpers to the truth of God g 2 John 8 and by sowing these temporal things to the Spirit they shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting h Gal 6. 8 Arguit eos qui falso paupe tatem pretendebant ne doctores suos alerent nolite inquite eâ—rarare novit Deus vestras facultates neque irrâ—detur tanquam ludibrio dcceptus haberi potest hic enim Grâ—ci irridâ—ri profalli sumunt Gagnes in loc Now then sith the Lands Houses Gleabs and Tythes are the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land by Donation and Gift God having given them to them by our Ancestors Wills who devoted them as they were moved by his Spirit and they being confirmed to them and their successours for so many hundreds of years for ever and Ratified by many Parliaments both in the Saxon Danish and Norman Kings Reigns and some of them in the Brittains dayes when they were Lords of the Land And sith they have as good shewings Evidences Charters Deeds and Conveyances for the quiet and peaceable enjoyment of them as any other Persons have for the enjoyment of their Manors Lordships Honours or Free-holds Lastly Sith they are theirs by the Law of Nature and Nations and by the Command and Ordinance of Christ under the Gospel whose Law is irrepealable by man he being Lord paramount sith they are theirs by the Common and Civil Law which confirms the Wills and Testaments of dead men deccased sith they are the Hire for their Labour their Wages for their Work the honour due to them from the people they teach I cannot see how any person or persons on earth without destroying Property and committing injustice and Sacriledge can sell these away from them or alienate them to any other prophane or common use or prohibit the people to pay them to those that teâ—ch them Hearken what the Apostle saith Be not deceived neither by thine own heart which is naturally full of self love and adictâ—d to covetousness yea deceitful above all things and desperately wicked i Jer. 17. 9 Tam varium est cor versipelle insidiosum quod aestus suos multis iâ—â—olueris convolvat ac tegat ut ne homo quidem ipse fibi abunde notus esse vix unquam queat Ecol in loc nor by others who for self interests or by-ends perswades thee this is no sin out of Pride prejudice malâ—ce hypocrâ—sie or love of the world for God is not mocked nor will he be by carnal reasons and pretences But look in thâ—s particular what a man soweth that shall he reap If men will impiously make void the Wills and Laws not only of men but of God they cannot free themselves from the guilt of prophanness and Sacriledge and of more than Paganâ—sh injustice as the Apostle intimates k Heb. 9. 17. Gal. 3. 11 for the Heathen abhor'd to do it to their Priests though they were imploy'd in a false Worship And therefore Joseph in Egypt durst not buy the Priests Lands lest he should have been accused of Sacriledge by the Nobility or Comminalty l Gen. 47. 22 And they had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh and so had no need to sell them as others had I have heard it reported of certainty That when a Turkish Embassadour came into Spain and was by some Agents from the Pope sollicited to embrace the Christian Faith He beholding the gallantry of the Spanish Court and the rich garments and Robes they wore but withal espying the mean Habit of the Priests and how contemptible they were whom they stiled Christs Embassadours that he cryed out
have persisted in this sin and forgotten God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you and confess and forsake your sin then shall you obtain mercy Prov. 28. 13. Having food and rayment be ye therewith content for he hath said He will not leave thee nor in any wise forsake thee p Heb 13. 5 Mat. 22. 21 Render thou to Caesar the things that be Caesars and unto God the things that be Gods and owe nothing to any man but this That ye love one another q Rom. 13. 8 and whatever ye would were you in the Ministry that others should do unto you the same do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets r Mat. 7. 12 But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong he hath done and there is no respect of persons with God s Col. 3. 2 The Lord open the eyes of those that have been blinded with self-love and with the love of the world or been deceived with humane laws customes and evil examples of the mulitude that have been guilty of this sin that they may see it and repent of it remembring Christs saying It will profit a man nothing to gain the World and lose his own soul t Mark 8. 36 Now that I have shewed you the light do not walk in darkness and hate the light because your deeds are evil for to him that knows to do well but doth it not to him it 's sin with a vengeance u Jam. 4. 17 The wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men who detain the truth in unrighteousness w Rom 1. 18 And if you shall not speedily repent the same judgement may befal you which befel Ananias Sapphira or Simon Magus for their covetousness and sacriledge for such impenitent persons are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity x Acts 8. 23 as they were by reason of those sins And the Lord avert his wrath from this Land and Nation which hath been horribly guilty of this sin to that end let the Magistrates find out some way or means for the Reformation of this sin as Nehemiah did in his Reformation y Neh. 13. 10 11 12 who caused the portions of the Levites to be given to them and the Tythes to be paid to the Priests and Levites for their service in their Churches according to their Courses As also zealous Hezekiah ordered it z 2 Chron. 31 12 13 c. and appointed Officers to see them faithfully distributed which thing was good and right and truth before the Lord his God z verse 20 For the Lord had blessed his people Mal. 3. 10 12 Deut. 26. 10 12 Prov 3. 9 10 Mat. 10. 40 Psal 4. 18 and brought a blessing on the Land and people z. Secondly Let those Impropriations whose heard-hearted Owners tremble not at Gods Word nor fear his threatning be bought in at the Wisdom and Discretion of the Honorable House of Parliament which I conceive in a short time may be effected by the Revenue coming into the Honourable Trustees for Bishops and Dean and Chapters Lands over and above what they now pay for Augmentations Lastly for the right ordering of Ministers in every Church for to receive these Tyths and devoted Lands and Goods and to perform the work of the Ministry and for the gathering and building up of Gods Church Let these proposals be considered by them To the Magistrates of England E. F. on the Jews behalf Humbly Dâ—clareth THat siâ—h its apparent by the Scriptures That the Jews Gods ancient People shall be converted to the Faith as these Scriptures testifie Rom. 11. 25 26. Psal 5â— 6 67. 5. 6 69. 35 36. Isa 1. 25 26 11 1. Zeph. 3 9 c. And being converted they shall be a blessing unto the Godly amongst whom they live they ministring to them exceeding cause of joy for if their Fall be the Riches of the world and their Diminution is the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what will their Assumption be but life from the dead Rom. 11. 12. Zach. 8. 13. And sith by our mercy they shall obtain mercy Rom 11. 31. And many shall seek their favour as it s prophesied Zâ—ch 8. 23. And God will execrate and destroy thâ—se Nations that have been enemies to them as the Prophets fore-tell Isa 11. 13. Gen. 12. 3. Jer. 3. 16. Zeph. 3. 19 20. Isa 51. 21 22. 47 6. Jer. 2. 3. Zach. 1. 12 15. And sith in our Directory made by the late reverend Assembly and confirmed by the High Court of Parliament the Ministers of the Gospel were commanded to Pray for their conversion and so to use all means to effect the same unless we will flatteringly mâ—ck God in our Prayers especially sith they are beloved according to the Election for their Fathers sake of our heavenly Father whâ—m we are to imitate and whose gifts and callings are without repentance Rom. 11. 28. and whâ—m we are to follow as dear Children sith from them came the Adoption and the Glory fâ—â—m them we received the Covenants and the Law the Worship of God and the Promises for theirs were the Fathers and from them Christ came who is â—od â—ver all bâ—â—ssed for ever Rom. 9. 4 c. Lastly Sith they abound in Wealth Arts and Sciences and excel in ingenuity and Tongues and God is able to graft them in again and the Redeemer shall come to Zion to turn away iniquity in Jacob and the time of fulfilling this is by the common suffrage of the Godly at hand Rom. 11. 26. Therefore to hasten their Conversion and to procure the Blessing and life to us and our Posterity to have the honour and glory to be happy instruments of their Conversion through out mercy spread towards them to get to us and our Posterity deliverance from the evil threatned to fulfil the Prophesies avert all Judgements and to obtain our Petitions for ingrafting and Salvation Therefore your Petitioner humbly prayeth That they may have Liberty as well as other Nations to Trade and Traffick in our Common-Wealth without peril of their lives To that end let the Statutes of Bannishing them be Repealed And if the Parliament think fit let them on good Cautions and Conditions as shall seem meeteâ—t to their wisdom be suffered here to Continue and Dwell amongst us as formerly before the Conquest that so living with us they may with the Sweetness and Fatness of our Land receive into their Souls the wholsome and saving knowledge of the Gospel which in no Country under Heaven blessed be God and continued still be this Mercy to us and ours till Christ come is so purely and powerfully preacht and held forth as in this Common-Wealth To effect which Your Petitioner shall alwayes Pray c. The Proposals 1. SIth by the
appointed and the bounds of their habitations for he hath divided inheritances unto the Nations when he separated the Sons of Adam at the confusion of Languages and set the bounds of the people according to the number of the Sons of Israel d Deut. 32. 8 Gen. 10 31. Thirdly by Inheritance and Redemption the World and all therein are the Lord Jesus Christs by whom the Father hath reconciled all things unto himself e Col. 1. 20 and whom he hath appointed to be heir of all things f Heb. 1. 2. Therefore whatever Title or Interest or Propriety any man can claim to any part of the earth or the fruit thereof or the Cattel therein or any profit that comes by Sea or Land it must come from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ who is the grand Landlord and Lord paramount over all other Lords and things g 1 Tim. 1. 17 and 6. 15. Rev. 19. 16. and 17. 14. all which are the godly mans Quoad usum non quoad possessionem h 1 Cor. 3. 21 they shall serve for their good though they be not their servants to command Now there are four wayes whereby Lands or Goods become proper to any man By which he may justly lay claim to them for I omit all unlawful and pretended Titles as his proper Goods or Land First by Gods immediate Donation or Gift for this is most ancient thus God gave to Adam the Earth and all the Creatures in it with the Fruits thereof for him to subdue it and to have dominion over it i Gen. 1. 28. and after Adam his Sons were to enjoy it k Psalm 115. 16. And thus Secondly by Inheritance Children may enjoy their Parents Estates belonging to them as the Land of Canaan was given to Abraham and his Seed for them to inherit the same as Heirs to their Father of the Promise l Heb. 11. 8 9. made Gen. 12. 7 and 15. 18. and 26. 3. and Numb 27. 8. 12 yea the Inheritance was to passe unto the Daughters where heirs Male faild the Twelve Tribes had their Inheritances by Lot assigned them which was by the disposition of the Lord m Prov. 16. 3â— as Solomon sheweth Thirdly By Purchase Land becomes a mans own when he buyes it with his money or Goods Thus Abraham with money bought the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah and the Cave therein and all the Trees that were in the Field and in all the Borders round about for a possession to him and his heirs for ever n Gen. 23. 17 for four hundred sheckles of Silver And so Iacâ—b bought a parcel of a Field for an hundred Lambs or pieces of money on which the Images of Lambs were stamped o Gen. 33. 19 Josh 24. 32. for 't was an ancient custome to buy things by Exchange as among the Greeks p Homers Iliad 8. both these wayes are intimated q 1 Kings 21. 3. Fourthly and lastly Lands or Goods becomes a mans own by conquest or mediate gift of men by Conquest when men by his command or according to his will invade any Land or Nation Thus by Conquest the Israelites at Gods command invaded the Land of Sihâ—n King of the Amorites r Deut. 2. 31. and they conquered them and God is said to give their Cities and Lands to them as Iephthah pâ—eads s Judg. 11 2 2 23. and this seemeth then as wel as afterwards to be the Law of Nations as appears in that following wilt thou not possess that which Cheimosh thy God giveth thee because victory in battle is the Lords t 2 Chron. 14. 11. he gives it to whom he wil and hereby destroyeth utterly sometimes and displanteth Nations as the Zuzims and Emims and Raphaims out of Canaan by Chederlaomer u Gen. 14. 5. The Chorits and others dwelling in Mount Seir by Esau and his Sons w Deeu 2. 21 Or 2ly God immediately by mens wil and disposition giveth unto men Lands and Goods as Abram gave Goods to his Sons by Keturah x Gen. 25. 6. but his Lands and the chief of his Estate he gave to Isaac and his posterity y Gen. 24. 36 so the Eleven Tribes at Gods command gave Cities to the Tribe of Levie z Josh 21. 3 and paid their Tithes and Offerings a Levit. 27. pro totum so those who to acknowledge their homage and thankfulness to God in a singular way to honour him and to maintain his Worship and Ministers and the poor sanctified houses or fields or the prices of them or else devoted persons and redeemed them as in the place before quoted so also Barnabas under the New Testament sold his Land devoted and brought the money and laid it down at the Apostles feet b Acts 4. 3â— so did many others that had possession of Lands and sold them Houses and brought the prizes of the things sold c Acts 4. 34. which also Ananias pretended to do out of vain glory d Acts 5. 1. Now this belonged to the Apostles and poor in the primitive Church verse 35. and they accordingly distributed unto every man as he had need it was before it was sold their own as Peter plainly tells Ananias and after that was sold the money was in his own power to dispose of it as pleased him but after it was devoted then it was not in his power to keep back part of it hereâ—n he betrayed his covetousness and dâ—ffidence his hypocrisie and The application of what was spoken before sacriledge and telling a Lye to the Holy Ghost he became a spectacle of divine vengeance In the times of the Apostles the Brittons were without question the lawful possessors of this Isle God having given the same to them to inhabit as he did Mount Seir to the Edâ—mites Deu. 2. 5. Ar to the Moabites e Deut. 2. 9. having brought the Brittons from Troy as he did the Philistines fâ—om Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir f Amos 9 7. as the Bâ—ittish Chronicles generally agree Brute who was their King having reigned there four and twenty years before Sauls Death g Cnadderions third age of the world Gildas and others This Nation as well as other Gentiles when Christ suffered h Fox Acts and Monum 1 part page 95. printed 1610. worshipped dumb Idols and offered Sacrifice to Devills But about the years of our Lord 68 Joseph of Arimathâ—a after the disperson of the Jews was sent by Philip the Apostle from France into this Island who here remained during his life and He with his companions if Gildas may be credited laid the first foundation of Christian Faith among the Brittons who afterward were confirmed and Beleevers increased by other Preachers Goodwin of Bishops Initio libri and Teachers that came over To him and his Associates was given in the Reign of King Arniragus Glacenbury with 12 Hidelands adjacent
in force still Therefore I humbly conceive that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to live of those things that are given and by devout men consecrated to Gods service according to the Laws of God and man and that their maintenance ought to be according to the greatness of their employment and to the number of Wife and Children in their Families which they are obliged to provide for e Acts 4. 37. 6. 2. 1 Tim. â— 8. Lev. 22. 11 12 as the Priests and Levites did of old with their Families And the Civil Magistrates if there be disorder in the dividing of the Churches Goods or ignorance and slouth in the Ministers or obstinacy and neglect in those that should pay their Tythes and Offerings may command the same to be rightly divided and see it be done as did Hezekias f 2 Chron. 31. 45 c who is said to do that which is good and right and truth before God verse 20. and they may punish or remove those Ministers that are ignorant or prophane even the chiefest of them as David and Solomon did of old g 1 King 2. 26. and 35. and Câ—nstantine the Great and Theodosius other Christian Princes under the New Testament h Theod Eccles Hist lib. 1. c. 20. lib. 5. c. 19 and cause the Tythes to be paid to the Ministers as Nehemiah did i Nehem 13. 10 11 c. who caused the portions of the Levites to be given and so did the pious Magistrates in our Land who made those Laws above specified requiring all sorts of persons to pay their Tythes on penalty as being due to Christs Ministers both by the Law of God and man Well they knew it was not in mans power to detain or take from God that which God required or by the motion of his Spirit was devoted to him and his Service such Houses Lands Goods under the Law was not to be sold or redeemed it was holy to the Lord k Levit. 27. 28. or as it is in the Original t was holiness of holiness that is most holy in respect of them that devoted them and therefore not to be sold detained or denied l God would not suffer them to redeem it to teach them constancy in all good purposes and words that so in them we may be unchangeable as God is Ainsw Annot. in loc no part of it may be held or kept back without theft that I say not Sacriledge the property being altered after it 's devoted as St. Peter told Ananias m Acts 5. 1 4. both before he sold 't was his own and after he had sold and received the mony 't was in his own power to dispose of it but when he had devoted the whole money to the free use and benefit of the Church to be distributed by the Apostles for him then to keep back part of it and to lay down the residue as the whole and to confirm it to be the whole with a wilful lye for this the Apostle sharply reproved him for thereby he tempted God and lyed to the Holy Ghost and therefore God made him a spectacle of divine vengeance for his detaining the truth in unrighteousness and for his Sacriledge for such a sin there is under the Gospel n Rom 2 22. as well as there was under the Law which is theft in the highest degree which St. Austin compares to Judas treachery o Ideoque Ananias Saphira in consâ—etu Ecclesiâ—e mortui sunt ut Apostolica Atthoritas quanta esset ostenderetur quam magnum peccatum esset quod oblatum iterum ab Ecclaesia retraheretur monstraretur caeteri exemplo hujus castigarentur Aug. lib. 3. de Mirab. Sacr. Script for if he be accounted a Thief that steals goods from a private man how much more is a sacrilegious person a thâ—ef who dares to steal from God and his Church Qui aliquid de Ecclesia furatur Jurae perdito comparatur He which steals from the Church is to be compared with cursed Judas p Aug. in Evang John tract p. 50. the Heathens abhord this sin therefore we read that Joseph when in the Famine in Egypt he bought with Corn all the Land of the Egyptians yet the Land of the Priests he bought not for they had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh nor sold they their Land q Gen. 47. 22. whence Theodoret saith if wicked men so much reverenced â—hose gods which were not gods so that their Priests Lands given to them for the worship of those gods were not sold nor taken from them what impiety do those commit under the Gospel who will not suffer the Ministers of the living God to enjoy this liberty r Theodor. quest in Gen cap. 27. that so his service may be preserved and continue with them The Heathen to preserve their gifts devoted from the hands of prophane sacrilegious persons engraved on them these words Sunt bona Decrum ad hâ—c ne quis manum admoliretur s Valcrius max. lib. 1. cap. 2. and the Jews calld their devoted things chosen in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t Levit. 27. 28. Luke 21. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wishing and judging them accursed that turnd them to any other use than to that they were devoted unto and so amongst us Christians the most of the Lands in this Island they were given to God and the Church with an execration on those to be separated from Christ and given to the Devil that should alter them or employ them to any other use than by the Donors they were at fiâ—st devoted unto which in general was the service of God although many in the times of Popery faild in the superstitious observing and requiring of many things which might have been Reformed and the deceased devout persons wills been observed inviolably in the general though not in that specifical service required 'T was so high a crime in the eyes of those that saw only by the light of nature that the Areopagit condemned Aelians boy for this sin u Aelian Hist lib. 5 cap 16. Var Hist God almost miraculously killd King Rufus w See Hoywoods History of the death of King Rufus by an Arrow shot by Sir Walter Tirrel at a Deer He was wont to call that got from the Church sweet-bread but it proved bitter to him at the last when he was slain in his sports in the new Forrest which for his pleasure he had made thereby depriving seventeen Churches of their Revenues and the Ministers of the Churches and also the people of dwellings depopulating those Parishes God had warned him x Prov 20 5. that it was a snare to devour that which was holy and after vows to make enquiry He had at that time also in his hand three greâ—t Bishopricks viz. Canterbury Winchester Sarum and twelve Abbies in Farm his Brothers Son also was slain there y Fox Acts and Mon 1 Part
the fervent Prayer of thy Souls Friend whosoever thou art that readest these Proposals so thou be Christs under what form soever thou livest A TREATISE AGAINST PERJURY SIth any way to take Gods Name in vain is such a sin that God will not hold the Offender guiltless a Com. 3 And God hath absolutely forbidden swearing falsly b Levi. 19. 12 Numb 30. 2 and Christ and his Apostle forbids us to swear at all c Mat. 5. 33. James 5. 12 not that he doth hereby abolish any part of his Fathers divine Worship commanded in the Law Deut. 6. 13. but to prevent all occasions of Perjury and rash and presumtuous swearing which is a sin sticks so fast unto the Soul that without a great deal of washing it will not out d Psal 51. 2 Therefore above all things St. James dehorts from it following herein the counsel of the Hebrew Rabbies e Maimon Trea. of Oathes c. 12 who advised their Scholars to beware of this sin more than of all transgressions it being one of the heavie iniquities greater than all iniquities St. Paul tells us the Law was made to condemn such f 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10 Zach 5. 1 c. Jer. 23. 10 for God sends his flying Roll against them which shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly to consume the stone and the timber of it yea the whole Land shall mourn because of it g Mal. 3. 5 Christ in Judgement will come near to such and be a swift witness against them g. he will make the Land desolate and deprive it of man and beast for swearing is the Captain in that cursed company of Vices Hos 4. 2 3. The Heathen accounted it a fearful sin and therefore the wisest of them allowed it not but in great and weighty matters as in the vindication of a mans fame or preservation of his own or friends life h. St. Augustine called Isecrat in Stâ—baeo ser 25 it a dangerous Medicine never to be used but in a desperate Disease i August ser 28. de verbis Apost Deut. 28. 59 And indeed God threatens to make their plagues wonderful and of long continuance that fears not his great and glorious Name He knows not how to spare that People that persist in this sin k Jer. 5. 7 11 for they shall fall and not rise again l Amos 8. 14 he will surely cut them off m Zeph. 1. 4 5 Sith therefore punishment inseperably follows at the heels of this sin and lighteth either invisibly on the Souls of men as namely by Gods with-drawing his Grace and favours from them as from the ten Tribes that revolted from Davids house to whom they had sworn Allegiance for which they are said to rebel because of the Covenant they had made with David before the Lord n 1 King 12 19 compared with 2 Sam. 5. 3 although it be said the cause was from the Lord that Rehoboam hearkned not unto the people 2 Kings 12. 15. which was the ground of that Rebellion or else God permits Satan to blind and harden their hearts and to take full possession of their Souls as he dealt with Ananias and Sapphira who agreed together to tempt the Spirit of God and to lye unto the Holy Ghost o Acts 5. 1 c. So it happened to Judas the Traytor after he had perfidiously betrayed his Master Satan was permitted by Christ after the Sopp to enter into him and to fill him with all impiety and then to hurry him to the halter and Hell or else God suffers Satan to seduce them to beleeve those that speak lyes in hypocrisie and to credit his strong delusions which is a judgement threatned on all that receive not the love of the truth p 2 Thess 2. 9 10 11 And that are traytors truce-breakers lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God having a shew of godliness but denying the power of it q 2 Tim 3. 2 3 Or Lastly God departs from them for detaining the Truth in unrighteousness and so gives them over to a reprobate mind and vild affections r Rom. 1. 21 24 26 St. Augustine tells us That the life of the Body is the Sâ—ul and the life of the Soul is God the Body dieth when the Soul departs but the Soul dieth when God depaâ—ts when the Body is wounded with a sword the Soul departs and doth not God depart when the Soul is wounded with perjury s Or else visibly August in Epist Iacob Gods Judgement falls on the persons estates goods or good-name of the prophaners of his Name or they fall into condemnation and pit of destruction before they have lived out half their dayes t James 5. â—â— Pâ—a 55. â—0 23 for God is jealous of his honour and will not suffer it to be prophaned by any man but will have it recovered by their conversion or confusion Peter Martyr from the Rabbins tells us That when the Law was given in Mount Sinai against Perjury Heaven and Earth shook trembling at so horrible a crime u Martyr loc Com clas 2. c. 7 Cum in Sinai darentur tabulae statim ut lata lex est de perjurio totue orbis est concussus for to prophane Gods Name is the proper dialect of the damned in Hell who speak as the Devil gives them utterance their tongues being set on fire of Hell and fearful without repentance will their doom be w Rev. 16. 11. Mat. 5. 37 James 3. 6 Psal 109. 27 God is known to abhorre this sin by the judgements he hath in this world executed on such as have been guilty of this sin as in the three years Famine in Davids dayes which came on Israel for their breaking the Oath with the Gibeonites x. Sauls Family felt the y 2 Sam. 21. 1 vengeance of their Fathers folly And the Kingdom of Judah and Israel mourned because of this sin y Jer. 23. 10 Hoses 4. 2 God removed the Diadem took off the Crown and over-turned the glory of King Zedekiah and brought shame and confusion on his posterity and Army for his prophanness and perjury z Ezek. 21. 23 25 c Ezek. 17. 18 19 And what hapned to the late unhappy King and his damning cursing and perjured Army is too fresh in memory to relate I have read of a Soulâ—â—er in Germany who being sick gave his Money to the Host w 〈…〉 e he lay and being recovered he demanded it which he denying the Souldier sued him but the Host forswore it against his Conscience and presently the Devil carried him away in the presence of the Court nor could he ever after be heard of a Fincelius libr. 1 demirac 'T is as one calls it A God provoking and a Devil impowering sin b Heavens Alarm to Jurors It so provoked the Lords wrath against the Christians in the Holy Land and so impowered the devilish Turks
1 Harm of Confes sect 10 Mockets Book of God the King I fidore Beda Dr. Featly Saunderson c. Yea and the very Heathen too c As Menander Plato Cisero Aristotle Seneca Plutarchs Lives c. for not only Gods Name is abused whom they invocate to witnesse which is most fearful and glorious but also men are hereby cheated and deceived and made to beleeve a Lie instead of Truth God much complains of this sin d Jer. 3. 10. 2 Cron. 34 32 and threatens severely to plague it e Ezek. 17 15 Jun. Annot. in locum It provoked the Lord to break forth as a man in passion shall he break the Covenant and be delivered Nay God swears in his wrath as one mightily offended severely to plague Zedekiah though a King for despâ—sing the Oath and breaking the Covenant which God calls his Oath and his Covenant because as Junius observes was sworn in his Name and he was the Author of it by his Prophet f Jer. 34. 11 Aecolam Exp. in loc As also to shew as one saith Tthat he will revenge the breach of Oath and Covenant made o men as much as if it had been made to himself he had prophaned Gods Name and God would not hold him guiltless but his imprecation shall fall on his own head for his perfidiousnesse which indeed was fulfilled on him and his in severity g 2 King 25 6 7 Jer. 52. 1 when his Children and Nobles were slain before his face and then his eyes put out and he himself carried Captive into Babylon and kept there till the day of his death And yet alas our Land is too much guilty of this crying scandalouâ— sin which cryes aloud for vengeance for such were and are for the most part the Oaths that have been taken by Papists and Church-Protestants against the Popes Supremacy the Oath of Abjuration which thousands never intend to keep they having their Dispensations Equivocations mental Reservations and secret Evasions to delude God the Magistrates but chiefly themselves for in their hearts they are still resolved to yield Obedience to the See of Rome and beleeve Transubstantiation and Purgatory use Pilgrimages and Prayers to and for the Dead yea some Protestants are too much Jesuited who took the former Oaths Protestation and Covenant when in the very taking of them I fear they intended not to keep them for generally the Country took one or more of these for fear rather than love by constraint rather than willingly for self-ends and not for Gods glory Generally the whole Nation feared not an Oath but some either ignorantly rashly or presumptuously took them or which is worse resolved prophanely and perfidiously not to keep them like those that took the Covenant in Josias dayes in falshood h Jer. 3. 10 returning unto the Lord feignedly Nor to this day is there any fit means used as I know of to remove the guilt of this crying sin from the Land which in the opinion of an enlightned Jesuite i Emman Sa. Aphâ—r tit de Jurament 26 Perjurium gravius est Homicidio c. is greater than Murther Therefore one long since wished That as the Murtherer in our Land for Murder was hanged by the Neck so the Perjured person for his sin might be by the Tongue k Dr. Mortons Confut of Equivocation câ—p 5. And though we punish not so severely this sin as other Nations have done and God hath out of his patience and goodnesse forbore with us thereby leading us to Repentance yet their Damnation slumbreth not that shall to their lives end persist in the same God will hasten his vengeance and cast such out of his sight as the Prophet speaks l Ier. 14. 11 and if they continue in this sin God will not hear them God hath oft and clearly forbad this sin m Deut. 23 21 Numb 30. â— c. and thâ—eatned such with the losse of Heaven n Psal 15. 4 Revel 22. 15 And the truly godly have kept their Oath though it were to their own hurt as Joshua and the godly Princes Jephtah and others yea 't is the mark of a true Christian that he feareth an Oath o Eccles 9. 2 I have opened my mouth to Jâ—hovah saith Jaepthah and I cannot recal it p Iudg. 11. 35 he was content to put an end to his Posterity rather tâ—en to commit Perjury And so zealous was Joshua and the Princes having sworn to the Gibeonitâ—s that when the Army would have destroyed them they cryed out We have sworn to them by Jehovah God of Israel and we may not touch them No though they were a people of the Hevites who were expresly and by name commanded of God to be rooted out q Exod. 23. 23 though they were Lyars Deceâ—vers and Counterfeits and over-reachâ—d and as it were derided Ioshua and the Princes by feigning themselves Embassadours from a far Country which they avowed by their vynowed Bread and patched Cloaths clouted Shooes and rent Bottles nay though Gods command of destroying them long preceded the Peace they had granted them of sparing them and though the Oath and Promise they made was with a People a far off for so the Israelites had told them r Iosh 9. 7 If they dwelt amongst them they could not make a Peace with them because God had forbidden it Nay though this Peace was made without warrant from the Lord Å¿ Iosh 9. 14 nor could they challenge as our famous Historian speaks the witness of the true God in whom they beleeved not t Rawleighs Hist of the World l. 2. c. 6. sect 3. and therefore if ever any man might have saved himself by Evasion or Delusion Ioshua might have done it without Equivocations or mental Reservations Yet to the end saith he that the faithlesse subtilty of man should borrow nothing in future from his example who knew well that the Promises made in the Name of the living God were made to God and not to the dying man he held his Oath and Promise firm and inviolable though they to whom he swore were worshippers of Devils for 't is not as faithlesse men take it saith he that he which swears to a Man Society State or King and swears by the Name of the living God and in his presence that the Promise if it be broken is broken to a Man Society State or Prince but the Promise made in the Name of God is broken to God 'T is him we neglect herein and professe we fear him not but set him at nought and defie him And not only the godly but the very Heathen abhorred breach of Oath and Covenant to men though they swore by false Gods Marcus Attilius Regulus is famous herein amongst the Romans who being taken by the Carthaginians prisoner in the War had leave to go back to Rome on his Parol taking his Oath That he would return again as their Prisoner if he effected not what
was desired by the Carthaginians which he being not able to accomplish yet for his Oaths sake though he knew the Carthaginians would kill him on his return he returned back unto them u August l. 1. de Civitatâ—deâ— cap. 15 chusing rather to endure their Cruelty than to commit Perjury In such high esteem and honour was the Religion of an Oath even amongst the Heathen 'T is indeed a great sin for a son to break his Promise with or to alter the Deed of his Father but greater for a State Kingdom or Prince to break those contracts made in former times witnesse Sauls breaking the Oath of Ioshua and the Princes though it were 400. years after it was made w 2 Sam. 21. 1 And this I instance in lest any should think Ioshua and the Princes erred in keeping the Covenant with the Gibeonites afore-named which provoked the Lord so much that even in holy Davids dayes God sent a Famine for three years on the whole Land nor was his wrath appeased tiâ—l seven of Sauls Grand-children were delivered to be executed on a Gallows by the opprâ—ssed Gibeonites Therefore we may not think to make void our Oaths by new coyned Distinctions forged Evasions God-mocking Equivocations to swear one thing as my learned Author long before our Troubles spake x Rawl Hist of the world lib. 2 cap. 6. sect 8. by the Name of the living God and to reserve in silence a contrary intent for then the life and estates of Men the Faith of Subjects to Kings of Servants to their Masters of Vassals to their Lords of Wives to their Husbands of Children to their Parents and of all tryals of Right will not only be made uncertain but all Chains where by F 〈…〉 men are tyed in the world be toâ—n asunder For by his Oath a man assures others that his â—ords are true as God whom he invocates is true and sâ—cretly or expresly imprecates a Curse on himself if they be not true Therefore saith the Schoolman he is doubly guilty that swears fraudulenâ—ly first Because he takes Gods Name in vain and secondly Deceives his Neighbour when he sweareth falshood y Pet. Lumb lib 3. dist â—9 Qui câ—lliditate utitur jurâ—mento dupliclier peccat â—uit nousen d 〈…〉 en Vanum sumâ— proximum dolo capit But he that loveth or maketh a Lie shall be damned and much more he that swears 2 Rev. 22. 15 Psa 15. 4 him z. Let a man use never so great art or cunning in swearing yet God doth value the Oath according to their sense to whom the Oath is made a Isid lib 2 de snm bono capit 13 Faith is to be kept in an Oath saith St. Hierom because we are not to regard man to whom we swear but God by whom we swear b Hierom Com. in Ezek. cap. 17 They are Perjured persons saith St. Augustine who preserving the words with some Sophism deceive the expectation of them to whom they have sworn c Aug. in Gen. Therefore God fore-seeing that in the last days this sin should abound and knowing that mans heart was deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked he plainly commands in his Law that that man that swears should not swear faâ—sly d Levit. 19. 12 for thereby he should pâ—ophane his Name If by an Oath he hath bound himself he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth he shall not break his word e Numb 30. 2 God will surely require it that thou keep thy Oath or else plague thee for it according to thy dâ—sert for so much the word râ—quiring signifies f Gen. 9. 5 Deut. 18. 19 23. 21 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform according as thou hast vowed to the Lord thy God and as thou hast promised with thy mouth g Deut. 23. 21 The Law saith the Apostle under the Gospel is made to condemn such h 1 Tim. 1. 10 and they are given over to vild affection and to a Reprobate mind as the Romans were who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit this sin are worthy of death yet not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them i Rom. 1. 26 28 31 32 compared together Truce-breakers and Traytors are two of the number of those Hypocrites that shall come in the latter days k 2 Tim. 3. 3 4 8 who as Jannes and Iambres resisted Moses so shall they the truth And yet alas though God is so severe against this sin and requires such sincerity and simplicity in all our Oaths and Promises we make to God and Men yet how mightily hath this sin prevailed in these latter dayes amongst us Men making breach of Oaths a matâ—er of custom not Conscience under pretence of honest publick intentions and necessity for publick ends violating the Oaths Covenant Protestation Engagements before-named which we promised to observe and keep and to perform the things especially contained in the Covenant of the Three Nations as we would answer for our Perjury at the Great Day when the secrets of all mens hearts shall be disclosed and every man shall receive according to what he hath done in the flesh whether it be good or evil Now for us to violate those Oaths and perfidiously to break any Article therein which is in our power and lawfully we may observe under pretence that good may come thereby will not as the Apostle saith then our damnation be just l Rom. 3. 8. Justam pâ—nam blasphemis illis Paulus denunciat Beza Annot Hoc peccatum blasphemiam appellat Paulâ—â— abjicit a sensu divinae Doctrinae Amb. in loc The Jews might not break a Ceremonial Precept much lesse a Moral under pretence of any good to come thereby it lost Saul his Kingdom for offering Sacrifice and not obeying Gods command under pretence that the people fled from him and he was afraid the Philistims would come oâ— him before he had Prayed and craved Gods assistance m 1 Sam 13 12 Vzza lost his life for touching the tottering Ark though with a good intent to stay it for so 't is said the Oxen shook it neverthelesse the anger of the Lord was kindled against him so that he smote him for his Error presently n 2 Sam. 6. 6 7 St. Augustine allows not a man to tell a Lie though it were to save his life or another mans life and he gives a good reason for it for thereby l Gregor lib Mor 18 in Job cap 2 Innocent Tit de Vsuris c 4. he destroyes his own soul o Aug. lib de Mend. c. 6 and Gregory and Innocentius say the same p. otherwise Peter had not sinned in denying his Master And if Christians may not tell so much as an officious Lie for the saving of their own or their Brothers life which is the greatest good can be performed or pretended by
and to reform to our power the same in others and in reference to the persons to whom and with whom we have sworn le ts observe those Rules of Christ to love them as our selves q Rom. 13 9 Mat 7 12 and to do to every one of them as we would be dealt withal our selves were we in the same state and condition with them q. O le ts not pretend pretences or make excuses or invent Arguments to shift off â—quivocate with or any way to elude these sacred bonds for God will surely require the payment of them Suffer not therefore thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel it was an Error wherefore should God be angry with thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands for thy perfidiousnesse as Solomon teacheth r Eccles 5 4 5 6 O le ts remember that new Oaths and promises cannot make void the old no more than Zedekiahs new Oath to the King of Egypt could make void his old Oath made to the King of Babylon Å¿ 2 Chron 3â— 13 compared with Jer. 37 5 Ezek 17 15 or a new Covenant or Promise made to a second Wife can make void the old Covenant and Promise made to the first she being alive and she being not put away from him t Dr Saunderson de jurawent lect 2 sect 11 because an Oath hath naturally its obligatory power but constructive only not destructive it cannot take away the Obligation it findeth or impose another repugnant to it and the reason is because by all obligations some right is confered on another for whosoever is obliged is obliged unto another and its most unjust that by the meer act of one the right of another without his consent should be weakned The obligation of an Oath cannot be taken away by dispensations from any third person unlesse the Party be willing for whose favour and benefit it was made to accept of and ratifie the same u Saunders ut supra lect 7 sect 8 as the Doctor sheweth Let us therefore know thus it is with us in our Oaths and Covenants God was called to be a witnesse of the truth and sincerity of our words and hearts whoâ—e mouth cannot be stopt nor hand stayed from executing vengeancâ— on those that are Perjured herein he regards not persons â—â—r will he take Gifts w Rom 2 11 Acts 10 34 Gal 6 Deut 10 17 he accepteth not the persons of Prinâ—es nor regardeth the Rich more than the Poor He will come nigh to them in Judgement and will be a swift Witnesse against them for their not fearing him who is the Lord of Host x Mal 3 5 the flying Roll sent by God shall irresistably cut them off y Zach 5 3 which is his Curse for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it The Lord of Hosts saith he will bring it forth and it shall enter into the house of the Thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by his Name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Therefore I Conclude that neither Pope nor prince Senate nor Synod no Ecclesiastical nor Secular power hath any right to dispense with or absolve any man from that bond wherein before the dispensation granted he was engaged in as the learned Doctor affirms z Dr Saunders ut 〈…〉 ra lect 7 secâ— 4. And â— men against the light of Gods Word and conviction of 〈◊〉 own Conscience will take liberty unto themselves herein â—od will surely no more spare them than hâ— did King Zedekiah a Ezâ—â—h 17 19 â— c â—us â—â— andi violaâ—o impieâ—atiâ— coput est quia omni exâ—usatione vacua siâ— eâ—usmodi violatio Theâ—d interp in Zachar. For to confirm the truth hereof God swears who cannot â—iâ— nor Repent to terifie men from Perjuâ—y As I live saith the Lord surely mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompence on his own head and the Prophet after shews him his particular doom b Ezech 21 25 26 27 in these words And thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end thus saith the Lord God remove the Diadem and take off the Crown This shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is and I will give it him Now this and all the former remarkable Examples specified before of Gods divine Justice related in this Book and others we read of hapned to them for Examples of Gods indignation against thâ—s sin and they are written for our Admonition as the Apostle saith upon whom the ends of the World are come c 1 Cor 10 11 Wherefore my dearly beloved le ts fleâ— from this sin lest partaking with those before named herein we also reap of their plagues for unlesse we repent of it we shall all perish by it d Luk 13 3 5 The good Lord prevent us with his Mercy and remove the Judgments hang over our heads and deal not with us after our sins nor reward us accord 〈…〉 our iniquities but as high as the Heaven is above the Eart 〈…〉 great let his Mercy be towards us and the Lord our God pardon what is â—â—st and grant us Wisdom to discern and Piety to practise what is required that so the flying Roll that is gone forth come not into our Lands or Houses to cut us off and the blessing of God the Father and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ his Son and the Comforts of God the blessed Spirit be on the heads and remain in the hearts of all those that tremble at Gods Word e Ezra 9 4 Eccles 9 2 and fear an Oath e. which is the desire and shall be the continual Prayer of your Souls Friend and Servant in the Lord E. F. FINIS