to ‖ 2 Cor. 6. 17. Isa 52. 11. Rev. 18. 4. touch none of their unclean things as God's Word commanded but sat down under a part of the Romish Ministry and Service with many other Devices For it was neither Christ nor his Apostles that appointed Priests Apparel as long Gowns Tippits four horned Caps but as * See Hen. Ainsw Counterpoyson pag. 234 235. proved out of sundry Authors Writers say did Pope Zachary nor white Linnen Surplices to wear at Service-time as did Pope Silvester nor ringing of Bells to call the People to hear Service as did Pope Sabiniam and to make up the Musick Pope Vitalian brought in the Organs and if these or other Popes had brought in to the Worship under the Gospel the 120 Trumpets †2 Chron. 5. 12. and other Instruments of Musick used in the Ceremonial Worship under the Law as well as Priests Garments would it not have bin as lawful to have used them Yea but Protestants should not be unmindful how that Christ by his Death abolished all the Ceremonial Figurative Ordinances ‖ Ephes 2. 15. out of his Worship as also the Instruments of Musick and hath made or appointed * Rev. 21. 5. all things new in Worship a new Ministry new Ordinances new Maintenance new time and order for Gospel-Worship So was Christ faithful in his own House or Church as a Son †Heb. 3. 5 6. as was Moses being but a Servant So that whosoever professeth to bear the Name of a Protestant or true Christian may remember what is written to them A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear ‖ Acts 3. 22 23. in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And every Soul that will not hear that Prophet to wit Christ Jesus shall be destroyed from among the People And to conclude with these Protestants under the performance in Worship of so many Popish Devices let us hear what some of the Martyrs have sealed with their Bloods whose Tombs they garnish with their approving their Sufferings as true Martyrs of Jesus John Wickliff * Acts and Monum Edit 5. pag. 114. saith That the Arch-Bishops Bishops Deacons Dians be the Disciples of Antichrist William Swenderby †Ibid. pag. 431. saith That the Pope Cardinals Bishops Prelates making Laws contrary to Christ's Living and his Laws or any other ground put in Ruling the Church of Christ but by Christ and his Laws is very Antichrist Adversaries to Christ and his Apostles Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobham saith ‖ Ibid. pag. 518. The Priests Prelates and Monks are the very Body of the great Antichrist and that the Possessions and Lordships of the Clergie are the Venom of Judas shed into the Church John Claidon burnt in Smithfield * Ibid. pag. 588. professed That the Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops Arch-Deacons Deans Parsons Vicars and the rest of that sort are the Disciples of Antichrist the very Antichrist themselves Now though these Men be dead yet with Abel they †Heb. 11. 4. speak and their Blood with all the Martyrs that have Suffered for the Testimony of Jesus crieth for * Luke 18. 7 8. Rev. 6. 9 10. Vengeance against all that uphold that Popish Prelacy Therefore as one chief Reason among others that Jerusalem was destroyed was for the Sins of her Prophets and Iniquities of her †Lam. 4. 13. Priests that have shed the Blood of the Just in the midst of her Therefore O England by this be warned who they are that hasten thy Destruction Now we have seen what a lame Reformation was here made by many thousand Protestants when they came out of Spiritual Egypt for so the Romish Church is called Rev. 11. 8. having utterly forgot or else for fear regarded not the Word of the Lord to God's People of Old when they came out of Temporal Egypt After the doings †Lev. 18. 2 3. with Deut. 12. 30 31 32. of the Land of Egypt shall ye not do as is foreshewed and written for our ‖ Rom. 15. 4. Learning So that instead of being fully separated to touch no unclean thing yet a part of the Romish Egyptian Ministry of Lordly Prelates was imbraced and the Service aforesaid by Law of oversight established so that there was another false Ecclesiastical State neither Spiritual nor Civil set up to the great dishonour of Christ's Spiritual State and the Civil State or Government in the Nation And hereupon saith John I beheld another Beast * Rev. 13. 11. coming out of the Earth therefore not from Heaven having two Horns like a Lamb as if he were the only Vican of Christ as the Pope pretends on Earth And who more than they against the Pope until as aforesaid the Civil Power had established them by Law And thereby Life was given to the very Image of the Pope the first Beast who because they were so near a-kin as a Child is to the Father begotten after his own Image or likeness which was not only so in its like false Ecclesiastical State but also in Mind and Quality and therefore this second Beast is said by the Spirit of God not only to speak like a Dragon but to * Rev. 12. exercise all the power of the first Beast before him causing the Earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast by retaining a Ministry and Service and other things in Worship of his devising very little refined but still of the same nature So that no Man might Buy nor Sell save those that had the Mark of the Beast in their Fore-head or Hands that is yield professed Obedience to his Commands in Worship to God by Law established whether they had Faith or no. Now the Lord in his Mercy towards this Nation that was scarce come half out of Babylon sent others of his Servants under the name of another †Rev. 14. 8. Angel declaring to all Protestants both Prince and People that Babylon is fallen and for more certainty again saying It is fallen That so they might come fully out from all her devices in Worship and so might no longer ‖ Rev. 18. 4. partake of her Sins lest they receive of her Plagues But so soon as this false Ecclesiastical State or * Rev. 13. second Beast perceiving with †Acts 19. 27. Demetrius that if Christ's true Ministry and Government as it was in the Primitive Days of ‖ Ephes 4. 11. Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons were imbraced their gain of Shrine-making or keeping People in Ignorance what the true Ministry Government and holy Order of Christ's Kingdom of Worship is would be lost and their Princely Revenues by the King as their Elder Brethren Lord-Abbots Cardinals c. by former Kings be converted to Charitable Uses and they if they had any Grace must by laborious Preaching live of the free * 1 Cor. 9. 7
CHRISTIAN WARNING-PIECE FOR ALL TRUE PROTESTANTS BY WAY OF CHRISTIAN COUNSEL and ADVICE TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY and all His good Protestant Subjects sounded forth out of the Written Word of GOD. Wherein is clearly shewed the true Causes why the Lord in former Ages brought his severe Judgments on his own People both before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel All which being applied to the present State of Protestants is proved both by Scripture and History that it is the same Cause still for which the Lord is bringing His severe Judgments on his Protestant People Together with the Means if imbraced which God in Mercy hath Ordained to prevent the same By THOMAS WALL Cry aloud spare not lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet and shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their Sins Isa 58. 1. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning and Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 11. Whosoever heareth the sound of the Trumpet and taketh not Warning his Blood shall be upon his own Head But he that taketh Warning shall deliver his own Soul Ezek. 33. 4 5. LONDON Printed in the Year 1680. TO THE King's Most Excellent Majesty Most humbly shewing THat the most Wise God who hath made all things for his * Rev. 4. 11. Pleasure hath ordained in every Nation but two States Pillers or Legs to stand upon the one Civil and the other Spiritual The Civil State is God's Ordinance of Magistratical Government under divers Titles as Kings or other Chief Governours unto whom an excellent †Dan. 4. 36. Majesty is given them of God as next under ‖ Rom. 13. God Head of the Commonwealth the Lord's Lieutenants here on Earth And seeing since the Fall Mans Heart is * Jer. 17. 9. deceitful and in Mans Flesh dwelleth no good thing so that the Good he would do he doth not but the Evil he would not that he doth †Rom. 7. Therefore for guide in Government God hath given Kings the second ‖ Exod. 20. Table of his Royal Law as a most sure Foundation and Rule to square all their Laws by to govern their People so that by it they bear not the Sword in vain but use it to the Glory of God for the punishment of Evil-doers * Rom. 13. and the praise of them that do well Of which Trust and Stewardship committed to them they must shortly give an Account to their Chief Judg the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the Lord Jesus at the last Day The other State or Piller is the †Rev. 15. 3 Mat. 28. 18 Kingly Government of the Lord Jesus in his Church or ‖ John 18. 36. Kingdom in all things Spiritual As Christ hath his Office under God the only Head of his Mystical Body * Ephes 5. 23. Col. 1. 17. the Church unto whose Government is given the first Table of God's Law according to which most sure Foundation are all the Laws made in all Ages for his worship And though Christ was not manifested in the Flesh till these last Times yet was he from the Days of Adam King in his Church on his holy †Psal 2. 6. Hill of Sion in those who were Figures of him as * Heb. 7. 1. Ps 110. 4. Melchisedeck ‖ Acts 3. 22. Moses and David so Christ was the same Yesterday to Day and for †Heb. 13. 8 ever who now in his Church sitteth on the Throne of his Father David as it is written of him * Isa 11. 3 4. That he shall not judg after the sight of his Eyes nor reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with Righteousness shall he judg the Poor and reprove with Equity for the Meek of the Earth and shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the breath of his Lips shall he slay the Wicked So that his Weapons are not Carnal as his Kingdom is not of this World so differing from the Civil State Moreover as these be the only States ordained of God and the nature of them being so different the one from the other as the nature of a thing Civil and Spiritual is so that the one State may not meddle with the Work◠that belongeth to the other And hereupon did the Lord in his Wisdom constitute the Civil State in the Tribe of * Gen. 49. 10. 2 Chron. 5. 2. Judah and the Spiritual State in the Tribe of Levi but when King Uzziah would presume to break God's Order to do that Work which †2 Chron. 27. 16 17 18. belonged not to the Civil States Office the Lord smote him with Leprosie to the day of his Death that others may be warned not to presume above what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. Therefore the Lord Jesus our High Priest and only Lord Spiritual in his Church would not meddle with the Magistrates-work nor Office to give Judgment on a Woman taken in Adultery ‖ John 8. 3 4 5. nor divide Inheritances between Brethren And likewise commanded his Disciples and all Bishops and Ministers to the Worlds end not to take on them the title * Luke 22. 25. Mat. 20. 25. of Politick Princes but rather he that would be Chief to be Servant to all and not as Lords either in Title or Rule over God's Heritage †1 Pet. 5. 3. or Churches of God Therefore we see God in his Wisdom hath limited either State to keep within the limits he hath ordained for them Therefore as touching the Civil Magistratical State we may justly conclude That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Alter Change or Diminish to or from any part of the Laws Ordinances Offices or Order contrary to the King 's Royal Crown and Dignity established by Law according to the second Table of God's Law must needs be accounted a Traytor to the King and suffer his high Displeasure Accordingly may we conclude concerning the Spiritual State of Christ's Government in his Church That whatsoever Person he be whether Noble or Ignoble that shall presume to Add or Diminish Alter or Change any thing in Government or Ministry Time Maintenance or Order contrary to the Rules or Laws of Christ's Testament founded on the first Table of God's Law in all things pertaining to the Worship of God may justly be deemed a Traytor to the Royal Crown and Dignity of the Lord Jesus and may hear the Sentence out of his own Mouth against them saying Bring those mine Enemies that would not that I should Reign over them and slay them before me Either by casting out of his Church or by everlasting Wo at the last Day May it therefore please your Majesty in your Wisdom to consider these things That it is one of the Crying
Sins in this your Kingdom for which God's Judgments are threatned against it because the Civil and Spiritual State is mingled together the Civil State assuming into the Spiritual Prerogative of the Lord Jesus who hath this Testimony from God that he was faithful in his House or Church as Moses to give Laws and Directions in every thing appertaining to the Worship of God to make Laws and Directions how and what we must worship God with and by The Ministers or Bishops contrary to Christ's express Word and Practice do take on them the Office of Civil State and Titles of Politick Princes to be Lords in Councils as Parliaments and Lords Spiritual in and over Churches if not Justices of the Peace so that by this breach of God's Order there is such a state of Confusion to wit A third State or Leg a Compound of both Civil and Spiritual yet neither really Civil nor Spiritual but a Monster called a Beast Rev. 13. 1 11. Which as Writers say * Plat. Politiq See Hen. Ains Arrow was first brought forth in Egypt by those Heathens void of God's Order in Grace and Nature and therefore they would have all their Kings Priests so commingling the Kingdom and Priesthood together in one Person And this abominable Invention was the Romish Church when fallen from Christ enamoured with for which sinful Act among others she is called not only Babylon †Rev. 18. Rev. 11. Sodom but Egypt because the Romish Church would have the Magistracy and Ministry Princedom and Priesthood in the persons of her Popes Cardinals and Bishops to be Church Princes and indeed above Princes to Dethrone them at their pleasure and from Rome was this Egyptian Fashion brought by her * Rev. 18. 15. Merchants into England And this being such a Confusion that the very ‖ Pont. l. 5. c. 9. Philosopher condemneth it by the light of Nature and says it could not stand with the actions of those two Offices meaning the Civil and Spiritual so different the one from the other that one Man should perform both at one time together but must needs fall out when both Duties are to be done that the one would be omitted So either God is not duly served or the Civil State suffers Damage And for as much as it is a work belonging to the Civil State to redress which your Majesties Ancestors King Henry the 8th King Edward the 6th and Queen Elizabeth of happy Memory began as God had promised That he would put into the Hearts of the Kings of the Earth to hate the Whore eat her Flesh and * Rev. 17. 16. burn her by the Fiery Law of God in making her desolate and naked to abolish out of their Dominions the Pope's Supremacy the Lord Abbots Cardinals Jesuits Monks Friers and the rest of that Ministry is left for your Majesty to abolish which if your Majesty refuse to do it must be done And why Because the Lord hath said it who will by whom he pleases give them Blood to drink for strong is the Lord that judgeth her And the Kings of the Earth who have committed Fornication and lived deliciously with her yet now shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her Burning as more at large is written Rev. 18. 8 9 10 11. And all Magistrates that endeavour to hinder it are withstanders of God's Word because in her is found the Blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth Oh Bloody Papists Rev. 18. 24. And hereupon it is written Rev. 17. 6. I saw the Woman drunken with the Blood of Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Which Woman is clearly in this ensuing Book proved to be the Church of Rome For every Tree is known by its Fruit * Mat. 7. 20. Therefore the chiefest Article of her Faith is to Murder all that believe not as She believeth Now so far is that Church from being the Church of Christ or Children of God that they are Children of the Devil †John 8. who was a Murderer from the beginning so have him and not God for their Father because they do his works to the uttermost of their power Witness their Cruelty in Queen Marie's days the Powder Plot and now this Hellish Plot to take away the Life of your Majesty and your good Protestant Subjects As they began with that worthy Knight Sir Edmondbury Godfrey and will never be out of hopes of coming to possess this Land whilst Protestants can imbrace their Brethren in Office of Arch and lord-Lord-Bishops Arch-Deacons Deans Prebends which Offices for Gospel-Ministers Christ's Testament knows nothing of but the Pope's Records Oh therefore That the Lord would be pleased to open your Majesties Heart to Act as a most Worthy Protestant Prince as with the * Isa 14. 22 23. Beesom of the Lord to sweep out of your Dominions not so much in their Persons as out of Office the remaining part of the Romish Ministry by Law of oversight established in Protestant Churches together with all other Popish Devices in Worship some of many are after noted And for your Majesties glorious President in this so excellent a Work for the Honour of God and good of his People who as Protestants will live and die with You Cast your Majestie 's Eye on that young King ‖ 2 Chron. 34 Josiah who so soon as he heard of the Judgments of God denounced against his Land and People called for the Book of the Law to be read before him and by it comparing the Acts of his Fore-Fathers and present state of his Kingdom rent his Clothes And for fear of the Judgments of God in the 16th Year of his Age and 8th Year of his Reign began to seek the Lord and in the 12th Year began to purge out of his Dominions the Reliques of Idolatry all Devices of Men in Worship set up by former Kings together with the false Ministry called * Zeph 1. 4 Chemarims either for their Black Garments they wore or being smoked in offering Incense to Idols as the Margent of the great Bible noteth and restored the Lord's true Ministry and holy order of Worship as the Lord had appointed by the hand of Moses Which if your Majesty will do this like Glorious Work by the Light of Christ's Testament comparing the Acts of your Predecessors and present state of your Kingdom so poluted with a Romish Ministry and other Inventions in Protestant Churches that so a true Ministry according to the Lord's Will in Christ's Testiment may be enjoyed and the People left free to choose their own Ministers according to Nature and Grace to grow out of every particular †Can. 8. 8. Ezek. 16. 7. Acts 14. 23. Body or Congregation and not by Humane Art for Ministers to be made by they know not whom and set afterward to the Body whether they will or no as
an artificial Eye or Brest So shall your Majesty and People hope as King Josiah and his People did that the Judgments threatned against this Land may be turned away as it was from his As it is proved in the following Lines that it was chiefly for corruptions in Faith and Worship that God brought his Judgments on his own People Now would it please your Majesty in your Civil Kingdom to suffer your Self to be so abused as to have no Servants to serve You in your Kingdom or at your Table but what the King of another Nation thinketh fit No sure How then shall the Lord Jesus the Prince of the Kings of the Earth suffer himself any longer to be so Abused as to have no Servants to serve Him in his Church of his own Appointment either in Name or Office as Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons but what the Pope or other Mortal Men think fit Neither would your Majesty accept of the Service of any Subject Noble or Ignoble that should proffer his Service to serve You in your Civil Affairs if he did not do the same as your Majesty had given him Command and not as he pleased How then shall the Lord Jesus accept nay he doth not accept of the Service of any Person of what Degree soever that shall in his Spiritual Kingdom or Church serve him never so zealously except he do that Work and Service to God as Christ in his Testament hath commanded him If it were not so the very Turks that boast how they are Worshippers of the Living God and do abhor Idols would go beyond many that bear the name of Christians who though they do zealously worship the Living Beal Ep. to image of both Churches God and concerning Christ allow him to be a great Prophet the Word of God the Spirit of God born of Mary the Virgin yet because they worship not God by the Appointment of the Lord Jesus in his Testament but according to the directions of Mahomet therefore are they and their services rejected of God So likewise the Papists boast how they worship God yet abhor not Idols but because they do it by direction of sundry Popes and not by Christ's Appointment they are rejected of God and their service But if a Turk or Papist should ask many Protestants By whose Appointments do you worship God If truly answered must say Partly by the directions of Christ for we have his Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper and partly by the Appointments of sundry Popes and Bishops as after is shewed So that for these things among other Evils God is bringing his Judgments on your Kingdom Oh therefore that your Majesty together with your Honorable Council would seriously consider these things that the Wrath of the Lord may be turned away from us And lastly Seeing there is but one way to escape God's Judgments threatned let not a Heathen Prince as Christ told the Jews come in Judgment at the last Day against a Christian Prince viz. the King of Jonah 3. Nineveh who so soon as he heard the Judgment of God threatned against him and his People arose from his Throne and laid his Robes from him issued forth a Proclamation to his People to keep a true Fast to the Lord as he required that is to break off their Sins by Repentance in turning every one from his evil way and from the violence that was in their Hands who did so so that it is written God saw their Works and repented of the evil he threatned against them Thus having discharged the part of a true Protestant Subject presented to a Wise Protestant Prince not doubting but this Mite shall be accepted and protected by yonr Majesty in Christian love to the Truth for the Honour of God and comfort of your Soul and the joy and comfort of your Protestant Subjects So that your Majesty with the Godly Kings of Judah doing the Will of God herein may have many Years Acts 13. 36. Rev. 21. 24. on Earth a prosperous Reign and having brought your Honour and Glory to the glorious State of Christ's Kingdom in his Church whereby She may enjoy all her Rights and Priviledges you may undoubtedly receive with Christ a Crown of Glory eternally in the Heavens which is and shall be the Prayer of your most humble Subject THO. WALL A Word of Advice to all true Protestants AS it is the duty of every true Christian not to hide his Talant in the * Luke 19. with Mark 25. 25. Earth but put it on a Candlestick that all may be benefited by the same I therefore judg if ever there were a time to speak it is now when the Protestant Religion lieth at stake to be utterly Ruined and the Professors thereof Murdered by the Blood-thirsty Papists the Spiritual Assyrians the Rod of God's Anger †Isa 10. 5. against his own People So that as Affliction doth not come out of the ‖ Job 5. 6. Dust nor Trouble spring out of the Ground for as saith the Scripture Is there any Evil * Amos 3. 6. in the City to wit of Punishment and I have not done it saith the Lord And when the Lord giveth Quietness who can make †Job 34. 29. Trouble and when he hideth his Face who can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or a Man only Therefore I have thought it the most profitable way to shew what I have gathered out of holy Scripture was the cause in Ages past that the Lord brought Judgments on his own People and to apply the same to our present Condition Which if the Lord help us truly to mind the same as Christians ought to do it may be a means to obtain Mercy at the Hand of the Lord to turn away his Judgments Let us take a view of these things from the first State of old Secondly When God had graciously restored Adam by his Grace in Christ promised and given him Ordinances as Figures of Christ to come to perform in the Lord 's holy order of Worship which in the days of his Son Enos his Children had greatly departed from corrupted their Way meaning their ‖ Gen. 6. 12. with Acts 18. 25. and 22. 4. Faith and Religion as also their making Marriages with Cain's Posterity called the Daughters of Men which was not lawful for the Members of the Church called the Sons of God to do and though God called them to Repentance by Noah's Preaching and warned them by his building the Ark of the Judgment intended by the Flood yet they persisted in their evil Course untill the Flood destroyed them all And how like to this is the state of Luke-warm Protestants now So that Christ likened the last Days we are fallen in to the Days of * Luke 17. 26. Noah for Sin and Wickedness by departing from the true Faith and by corruption in Worship and Members of Churches now making Marriages with those they cannot in Conscience
judg where is the Antiquity that the Romish Church pleadeth so much for unless it be old in Wickedness So that it is admirable how any that owns the name of a Protestant can believe that it is lawful to worship God by that Ministry that had the succession of his Ministry from Popish Ordination Therefore in the next place let us take a view of the manner how they are made Priests in Rome as themselves have written They are made Priests when by the Bishop who only can give this Order it is said Receive power to celebrate Masses both for the Living and for the Dead and to offer Sacrifices unto God in the Name of the Lord. The Bishop saith withal Receive the Holy Ghost Oh blasphemous Speech The Priests are also shaven on their Crowns and anointed with Oyl on their Hands that by that ‖ See Hen. Ainsw Anim adver p. 61. Bellarm. Pontifical Lib. de Ordinat Presbit Unction and the Bishops blessing those Hands may be Consecrated and Sanctified of God A Stole of Innocency is put upon the Priest and he promiseth to the Bishop and his Successors Reverence and Obedience and the Bishop gives him again the Blessing of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost that he may be blessed in his Priestly Order and may offer placable Hosts or Sacrifices to God for the Sins of the People This Ordination hath a double effect First A perpetual Spiritual Power in sign whereof a Character or Mark indelible is imprinted on them And secondly Grace making them acceptable whereby they are inabled to execute their Office So this Bishoply Ordination conferreth Grace And if any shall say That the Holy Ghost is not hereby given Let him saith the Council of * Sess 23. Can. 4. Trent be accursed Now judge ye Protestants whether this Ordination do not make Men more like †Zech. 11. 17. Idol-Shepherds being the very mark of the Beast than Ministers of the Gospel Now that we may the better discern how contrary to Nature and Grace this way of making Gospel-Ministers by this Romish Ordination let us take a view of the true Way how all true Ministers come to their Office by the Rules of Christ's Gospel First Every true Church is likened to a Virgin * 2 Cor. 11 2. who by the Covenant of the Gospel is espoused †Isa 62. 5. Eph. 5. 23. to Christ her Head and Husband and is said in her first Constitution to have no ‖ Cant. 8. 8. Brests that is Ministers but in process of time her Brests are said to be * Ezek. 16. 7. 1 Tim. 3. Isa 66. 11. fashioned by the Lord 's fitting some of her Members with Gifts Graces and Qualifications for the Work of the Ministry which so soon as the whole Body or Church finding fit do by common †Acts 1. 26. consent Elect ‖ 6. 13. Acts 14. 23. and after Fasting and Prayer by what Member the Church thinketh fit for her Mouth on the Lord's Day in the time of Government do ordain the Person before Elected some of the Fathers of Families laying their Hands * Numb 8. 9. on the person Elected in sign and for no other end in the presence of the whole Church or Body they are to take Charge of That they are not only first Elected by common Consent but by common Consent are now ordained by that particular Church or Body they are to abide with whilst Life doth †Acts 20 28. last And this is the true Eldership or Ministry the Lord hath given to every particular true Church as Paul wrote to Titus as I have appointed thee * Which way of making Ministers is both agreeable first to the Tit. 1. 5. Word of Grace and also to the Order of Nature that Ministers or Brests should grow or proceed out of their own Bodies and not like Romes Ordination for Brests or Ministers to be made by a Bishop without the knowledg of the particular Body whereof they are to take Charge and afterwards by unnatural Art set to the Body by the Bishop's order it may be without the Peoples consent whether they will or no as no Natural but an Artificial Brest or Eye to that Body so entring into their Office contrary to Grace and order of Nature not entring by the Door of Christ's Appointment are compared to Thieves Robbers and Hirelings John 10. who so soon as they hear of a bigger Benefice being not by Grace and Nature in the Body but only stuck on they slide away let the Flock shift how they can Oh dear Protestants Shall the Lord always wink at this Confusion among you No sure He will bring his Judgments speedily if it be not amended Now having laid these things before you let us in the next place observe that there was a time fixed by the Lord how long the Beast or false Ecclesiastical State should generally reign over the Nations to wit by the space of a thousand Years Which Rev. 20. 4. time as John Napier hath Calculated the Prophetical Dates in the Prophets and the Revelations together That the Beast's reign began See Napier on Rev. 10. about the Year of our Lord 113 and 115 about which time the first Pope was set up and so Poyson was brought into the Church and so continued their general Reign till about the Year 1541. And then saith Napier the seventh Angel began to sound at which time saith the Angel there shall be Time no longer meaning that the Rod of the Wicked should not always rest on the back †Psal 125. of the Righteous But all the Mysteries ‖ Rev. 10. 7. 8. 9. in the Prophets should be fulfilled which last Mystery in these latter Days seemeth to be the call of the Lord's Elect * Rev. 20. 5. Ephes 2. 1. dead in Sin out of the Spiritual Babylon or Romish Church according to the Mystery or Figure thereof by the Lord's Call of his People out of the Temporal Babylon So that as aforesaid the Way of God in the Revelation is to take Words and Phrases out of the Prophets and to apply them to things of like nature to be fulfilled in these last Days Therefore as Ezekiel did eat a little †Ezek. 3. 3. Book signifying thereby that he must Prophesie to the dry ‖ Ezek. 37. Bones in Old Babylon even so in these latter Days under the Person of John must the Lord's Servants eat a little Book * Rev. 10. 9. that is Prophesie to the dead in Sin in the Spiritual Babylon even among the many Nations Peoples Tongues and Kings So that about the Year aforesaid 1541 came forth the eaters of the little Book some of which were Luther Calvin Melancthon all under the name of an Angel †Rev. 14. 6. to preach the everlasting Gospel to every Nation Kindred Tongue and People By whose means not only many People of
all degrees saw how they had been deceived but also Kings by the Light of the Gospel saw how their Senses were stupified and made Drunk with the Wine of the Whores Fornication so that not only in other Nations but in this Nation also the Kings who had long given their Power to the Beast until the Words of God should be fulfilled Rev. 18. 17. began to hate the Romish Whore and the Beast that carried her so that a part of the Beast's power out of this Land was destroyed when the Cardinals Jesuits and others aforenamed were Abolished By which means the power of the Beast was abated and more of the Lord's Servants came boldly forth * Rev. 7. 14. out of great Tribulations all signified by an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven to Preach the Everlasting †Rev. 14. 6. Gospel unto them that dwell on the Earth So that by this time the Temple of God was opened in Heaven ‖ Rev. 11. 19. and the Ark of the Testament meaning God's Law clearly seen in the truth thereof as was signified by the Lightnings and Voices and Thunderings which wrought such an Earthquake among the Antichristian Professors that the tenth * Rev. 11. 13. part of the City fell meaning the great City the Romish Church that Reigned over the Kings of the Earth to the number of God's Elect in Israel 7000 of which number of Faithful Elect Precious Living Stones were many famous Churches established in England Scotland France Germany Holland and other parts to the great joy of Christendom And thus according to the Mystery signified to Zechariah by a Man with a †Zach. 2. 1 2. Ezek. 40. 2 3 5. Measuring-Line in his Hand signifying that Jerusalem should be built the second Temple in it and God's true Worship restored as was done in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah Even so according to the Figure was it shewed to * Rev. 11. 1. John by a Reed given him to measure the Temple of God the Altar and Worshippers that God's Temple of living Stones and holy Truth and Order of Worship should be restored by a Call of the Lord's People out of the Spiritual Babylon in these latter Days as aforesaid So that as Judah their Figure must separate themselves from all the †Ezra 6. 21. filthiness of the old Babylonians in Worship in so much that they admitted no Man to the work of the Priesthood but such as could prove their * Neh. 7. 64. Chronology according to God's Law neither suffer any Priest that had fallen down before an Idol never †Ezek. 44. 12 13. more to Administer in the Priests Office because they were Figures of Christ our High Priest in his Office Even so the forenamed Christian Protestants by the number 7000 would not take a Stone of Babylon for a Corner * Jer. 5. 26. or for a Foundation that is any one to be their Minister by virtue of Romes Ordination because the Ministers under the Gospel that enter not into their Ministry by the Door of Christ's Ordination as afore shewed are accounted by Christ but Thieves and Robbers So that as Virgins not defiled with Women or the devices of false Churches Rev. 14. 1 4. Heb 12. 22 ought all those to be that follow the Lamb Christ Jesus on Mount Sion no more bearing the Beast's * Rev. 13. mark in serving God by Mens devices but the †Isa 42. 4. Mat. 12. 21. Name or Law of Christ in their Fore-heads serving the Lord in Worship by the Appointment of the Lord Jesus only As it is written This is my beloved Son hear him Luke 9. 35. Moreover dear Protestants note that in the Earthquake aforesaid there were besides the 7000 aforesaid a Remnant * Rev. 11. 13. who seeing and hearing the powerful Doctrine of true Faith in Christ Temperance and Judgment to come like Felix ‖ Act. 24 25 trembled or as the Scripture saith were affrighted to see the great Power of God in the work of Conversion Of 7000 with Caleb and †Num. 14. Joshuah following the Lord fully gave Glory to the God of Heaven as some in Acts 5. 13. but durst not joyn themselves with them yet by the small glimps of the Light they saw they began to take their Journey towards Sion after the fore-named Christians But in the Wilderness †Rev. 12. 14. Ezek. 20. 35. Gal. 1. 16. of this World meeting with some Crosses and Troubles in the Flesh for Christ's sake began to reason with Flesh and Blood like some Israelites whether God were able to furnish a Table in the ‖ Numb 11. 4. Wilderness So these having received the Seed of God's Word on a Rock had no root * Luke 8. 13. that is having no more Love to Christ than to any Worldly Joy or Pleasure in time of Temptation fell away So that they would go no farther than the King and the most went in that Day not willing to suffer any more for Christ's sake were content to go so far as to have the Pope's Supremacy Lord Abbots Cardinals Jesuits Monks and Friars expelled the Land but staid there and sat down in the mid-way between Sion and †Rev. 18. 4 Babylon or * Rev. 11. 8 Egypt under a part of the Romish Ministry and Service-Book some of the grossest things being wiped out And this was the state of many Protestant Congregations as may be seen at this day as is also confirmed by Mr. Fox in the Acts and Monuments of those Times some of which Report is as followeth Acts and Monuments Edit 5. pag. 1180 1181 1184. The Priests and Clergy that yielded to the King's Laws were suffered to keep their Places and Livings After this the King appointed the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with other Bishops to make one convenient and meek Order Rite and fashion of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments who did so Then in the next Parliament following it was agreed that all Ministers in the Realm should be bound to say and use the Mattines Even-Song Celebration of the Lord's Supper in such Order and Form as was contained in the said Book and not otherwise Now because some small Alteration was made Complaint was made how * Ibid. 1186. by the cloaked Contempt and wilful Winking and stubborn disobedience of the Bishops and old Popish Curates the Book of Common-Prayer was long after the publishing of the same either not known at all or else very irreverently used through many places of the Realm Yet was there no great cause why the People should so despise it for as the King answered the Rebels in Devonsh †Ibid. 1189. If the Service was good in Latin it remained good in English for nothing was altered but to speak with Knowledg that which was spoken in Ignorance And thus we see that these Protestants did not separate themselves fully in coming out of Babylon so as