according to them and require no more of others but to do so who doth not see sith all necessary truths are plainly and evidently set down in Scripture there would of necessity be amongst all men in all things necessary unity of opinion unity of love and a spirit of mutuall toleration By which means all Schisme and Heresie would be banished the world and those wretched contentions which now rend and tear in pieces not the coat but the Members and Bowels of Christ which mutual Pride Tyranny cursing killing and damning would fain make mortall should speedily receive a most blessed conclusion By this means indeed should the Lord be one and his name one in the Nations which onenesse is not meant of any outward form but of the onenesse of love and affection in the spirit Doubtlesse at this day the most vehement Accusers are the greatest Schismaticks and those who talk of Uniformity do drive at Tyrannie and will have peace with none but their slaves and vassals By a late learned Antagonist of the Church of Rome and that whilest the Prelates were in their pride it was truly said Nothing is more against Religion then to force Religion Humane violence may make men counterfeit but cannot make them believe and is good for nothing but to breed form without and Atheism within Besides if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have power and think they have Truth Certainly it cannot with reason be denied but that it may be used in every place by those that have power as well as they and think they have truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of truth but perhaps only of the profession of it in one place and the oppression of it in a thousand what will follow but the preservation perhaps of unity but perhaps only of uniformity in particular States but the Imortalizing of the great and lamentable division of Christendom and the world Therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the judgement of carnall policy the Temporall benefit and tranquility of temporall States and Kingdoms but certainly the infinite prejudice if not the desolation of the Kingdom of Christ and therefore it well becomes them who have their portions in this life and serve no higher State then that of England Scotland or Ireland nor this neither no farther then they may serve themselves by its to maintaine by Worldly power and violence their State inframent Religion But they that the indeed lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church of mankinds ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as Antichristian and a Common enemy to all these They that know there is a King of Kings by whose will and pleasure Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust our experiment is too neer us at this day The desolations of our State are witnesses hereof and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the profession of a Religion which they beleeve not to loose their own eternall happinesse least they loose their temporall Estates and quietnesse there being no danger to any state from any mans opinion unlesse such by which disobedience to authority or impiety is taught unlesse this bloody Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawfull for the Magistrate by humane violence to enforce men to his own Religion Oh let not our Magistrates in this take part with the scarlet Whore who for these many Ages hath daily sacrificed thousands of poor innocent Christians under the name of Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks Doubtlesse if our Lord Jesus Christ himself would have submitted to the expositions and interpretations which the Priests and Doctors had at that time given out upon the Scriptures they had never crucified him and put him to such open shame But because that he and his apostles after him would according to that new light which they had received endeavour to set up a Reformation all which was yet no other then a clearer and fuller Declaration of what the Scriptures did hold forth above and beyond the light and understanding of these men who were no other then the Divine Presbyterie of those times therefore received they such hard measure from them and suffered as Blasphemers and Hereticks under them and by their censure We have a law and by this law he ought to die Joh. 14. 7. Pilate though the supream Magistrate was no other but their Executioner then as the Civill powers have been in all Generations since to this sort of men who under a pretence of holinesse have daily embrewed their hands in innocent-blood Before I end there are some Texts of Scriptures which seem repugnant to what hath been asserted and would be answered as Object That in Tit. 3. 10. Him that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject this Text placeth a power somewhere both of judging Hereticks and proceeding against them Answ I answer True it is in the Primitive and Apostolical Churches amongst the rest of those gifts which were powred forth by Jesus Christ upon the Saints this was one discerning of spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. but this gift amongst others in the Apostacy and falling away of the Churches which was foretold by the Apostle 2 Thes. 2. 3. and 1 Ioh. 4. 3. where the holy Ghost saith expresly that instead of the Spirit of Christ the spirit of Antichrist should come and was already was lost and because of the want hereof the Saints whom God hath stirred up to bear witnesse to the truth in their severall Ages ever since have unrighteously suffered been persecuted and put to death under this notion and name of Hereticks Secondly In case some Heresies may be so grosse that even to this day he that runs may read and the Saints according to that small measure of the spirit which they have received might judge them so to be yet this text belongs to the Church as their portion and not to the civill Magistrate as a Magistrate and what censure or punishment soever this rejection was it was to be executed by the Ecclesiasticall and not by the Civill power so that to apply such texts as this to the power of the Magistrate is one of the most grosse and palpable wrestings of Scripture that can be and yet is too common amongst the Gentlemen of the Jus Divinum Tribe in their discourses printed and unprinted as I my self not long since before the House of Commons at a Publique Fast heard that of Rev. 2. 20. Because thou sufferest that woman Iezabel c. which was written to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira either weakly or wilfully alledged to justifie their power viz. the Magistrates in spirituall things by which you may take a scantling of that gift among them Thirdly Supposing Churches with this
â—â—â—ETICKS SECTARIES and Schismaticks â—…vered to be the Antichrist yet â—…ining and the great Enemies of the Peace of this Kingdome â—… Question rightly stated and debated â—…paration to the great day of Humiliâ—…ation on March 10. next ensuing â—… a Hint about Ordination and the Covenant â—… them that call evill good and good evill that â—…esse for light and light for darkenesse Isay â—… â—…e good but if the Salt hath left its Savour whereâ—…e salted it is good for nothing but to be casâ—…â—…oden underfoot of men Matth. 5. 13. withâ—…4 34. LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1647. To the right Honourable the High Court of Parliament NOble Princes and Patriots remember in all your Lawes and Ordinances that as Iesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and will be one day for his truth and People is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and hath made the Saints who are his Anointed ones 1 Iohn 2 27. Kings and Priest to God and his Father so is he the one onely Law giver who is able to â—eeâ— and destroy and hath commanded the Kings of the Earth i 〈…〉 ch his Anointed nor doe his Prophets harme for he reproveth even Kings for their sakâ—â— If Hee have made them first and Prophets who shall hinder them to offer up spirituall Sacrifices to God â— Pet. 2. 5 And as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God to minister the gift one to another as every w 〈…〉 e received it 1 Pet. 4. 10. For every Scribe who is in 〈…〉 ted vnto the Kingdome of Heaven bringeth out of his treasury things new and old Matth. 13. 52. If the Saints as bottles be filled with new â—ine of the Spirit they cannot but poure it forth 〈…〉 e their friends that which they have seene and heard and in 〈…〉 ns soules have tasted of the word of life they cannot but declare and speake 1 Iohn 1. 2. 3. compared with Acts 4. 20. Iohn 7. 38. Have an eye therefore I beseech you to the designes of such men who would engage you to cast up bankes that you might stop the 〈…〉 ng of these waters for these floods will carrie all before him and who ever perswades you to it I tell you even weeping 〈…〉 of the Lord 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to give 〈…〉 to Antichrist and the Image of the 〈…〉 that as many as will not worship the Image of the Beast 〈…〉 killed notwithstanding the dreadfull doâ—m◠〈…〉 himself Revel. 14 9. 10 11. If any man doe 〈…〉 Beast and his Image and receive his marke in his for the 〈…〉 his hand the same shall drinke of the wrath of God and they shall have â—o rest day nor night c. Be wise now therefore Oyâ—â— Princes be instructed yee Iudes of our Earth Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and â—ee perish in the way though yee have already steered our weather beaten ship through many angry waves and billowes and thinke you are come neere to the faire Havens of peace and happiness as yet if instead of honouring Iesus Christ and submitting to his Royall 〈…〉 you shall be either flattered or threatned to set your 〈…〉 under any â—otinâ— or pretence whatsoever against the Saints and to kick against the pricks you will yet miscarry and split upon this Rock and in all your debates and consultations shall be dash't in pâ—ices like a Potters Vessel for whosoever shall full on that Stone shall be broken Grave Senators consider the Holy Spirit Zach. 12. 3. hath foretold that in the day of the Gospel the Lord will make Jerusalem viz. the Saints a burthen some stone to all people all that burthen themselves with it shall be out it peices though all the people of the Earth be gathered together against itâ— Those men who stickle most against the Saints under the name of Hereticks and Schismaticks shall be discovered to be such themselves but as our Saviour said they are wise in their Generations and they dealt with you herein as the crafty and ingenious Horse Courser with his untaimed and 〈…〉 ly pranser speaks â—â—ire streakâ—â— and scratches him whilst he bee mounted into the saddle and then he strikes and spurs and gallops till he have broken him to his will They be speake you as having a great power in the worship of God over the consciences of men but I beseech you receive no honour from these men who thus cry up your power and authority that they may be honoured by you and derive power and authority from you againe to be unrighteous Iudges both â—ver your selves and other men as their Reverend Fathers the Bishops were they seeke their owne things and not the thing of Iesus Christ but it concerneâ— their interest by this craft they have their livings and they know that if permission be once given to the Saints freely to make knowne the 〈…〉 of the Spirit which â—ath wrought so mightily in them their 〈…〉 of naturall reason though decked and adâ—rned with systems 〈…〉 Philosophy and Schoole divinity will not be able to 〈…〉 in competion with it greater is he that is in the Saints then 〈…〉 that is in the world the teachings of the spirit shall be more 〈…〉 full and effectuall to take hâ—ld of the hearts of men then all 〈…〉 workes and writings of their Postillers and Commentators can â—â— these cannot speake so to the consciences of poore Christians as the Spirit 〈…〉 And the feet of such as can bring glad tydings of 〈…〉 to such poore soules are exceeding beautifull and will bee 〈…〉 the opposition of these men Most honoured worthies pray observe with me how Babylon the Mother of Harlots Fornications and Abominations of the 〈…〉 which are chiefly spirituall and doe concerne our worship 〈…〉 this name written in her fore head MYSTERY her workings are and have been still MYSTERIOUS hardly to â—â— found out and traced But I have indeavoured as a blood hound to pursue her for by those Characters of bloodinesse you shall be 〈…〉 to know her the beast whereon shee sits is bloody coloured her garments are dyed in blood Revel. 17. 5. 3. 4 6. in her habitation is found the blood of Prophets and of Saints cap. 18 24. her drinke where with she makes her selfe drunke is blood of the Saints and the Kings and Inhabitants of the Earth have beene 〈…〉 drunks with her wine England Oh England hath forâ—â—â—ly plâ—id the beast with her if not the beast under her on which hath sitten and for this cause we have had of late blood given â—â— to drinke for we were worthy let it oh let it be so no more let not England againe make war with the Lambe for 〈…〉 the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Revel. 17 14. Suppose grave Senators those men so much miscalled were indeed such as they are represented to be and their Presbyterian adversaries 〈…〉 their Churches without crime or Error which is most 〈…〉 and so might justly cast them out tâ— yet since our
the whole discourse and being kept in memory will in some measure enable thee if thou have any knowledge of the things of Christ to judge of truth and Errour in reference to the severall partyes it makes mention of A Church or an Assembly may be said to be true or false in respect 1. Of their Foundation 2. Of their Members 4. Of their Ministry 4 of their Doctrine 5. of their Institutions or Ordinances 6. of their placing and exercise of power Such Assemblies or Churches who have not God in Christ for the foundation or obiect of their worship can in no sence be called true or Christian Churches as the Turkes who worship Mahomet c. And such as doe lay this foundation may in some sence be called true or Christian Churches But then as they depart from the truth of Scripture either in their members ministry doctrines institutions or Ordinances right placing or exercise of power or Administration of Discipline if you please so to cal it in any some or all of those so may they be said to be more or lesse false or Antichristian which is a building wood hay and stubble upon the foundation as by the book of the Revelation it appeares Antichrist hath done in all Ages all which must be destroyed with fire I shall make no farther applycation consider what is said and the Lord give thee understanding in all things THE wisest of meer men hath said it That there is no new thing under the Sun but that which hath been is at this day and what is now shall be afterwards if God prevent not under base and odious names Persecution hath in all Ages been the Saints portion The Scribes and Pharisees in our Saviours time boasted that had they lived in the dayes of their fathers they would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets yet these very men cruelly persecuted and put to death some of the Apostles and Crucified Jesus Christ who was the Lord not onely of the Prophets but of life and glory too though he himself did forewarn them of it and so brought upon their own heads all the bloodshed upon earth from righteous Abel to Zacharias And I fear that all these things are coming upon this Generation else what may be the reason that whilest those that are called and faithfull and chosen in the land who have been with the Lamb and who have through the power of the Lamb overcome that part of the Beast viz. that Antichristian and Malignant power that hath risen up against them at this time in this Nation whilest these I say after all their travell and sorrow in expence of blood and estate are thinking upon the sweet fruit of their long endured hardships and hazards and peace others have whet their tongues sharper then any two edged sword and have dipt their Pens in the blacknesse yea and darknesse of Hell it self continually sending forth most railing and bitter speeches and are thus afresh preparing war against them If new troubles be not creating for these men what mean those daily invective Alarms by such who are called the Ministers of Jesus Christ too which from Presse and Pulpit are ratled in the ears of our most worthy Senators and other subordinate Magistrates in the Kingdom incensing and provoking them contrary to their own judgements and reason against such who by Gods even miraculous blessing upon their weak endeavours have been theirs and the Kingdoms Saviours Sometimes dashing Hell fire in the faces of their consciences to fright them if possible into the same persecution and condemnation with themselves and then otherwhile beseeching them as they tender the Blessings Peace and prosperity of the Nation that they would rise up in indignation against these Heretiques Sectaries and Schismaticks for so they call them the Seducers and deceivers of the people to their utter extirpation the old way of Satan the great Seducer of the Nations and all such who cleave to this present world to besmear the faithfull and godly of the land in all ages with names of ignominy and reproach and so to fall upon them to their ruin and destruction Witnesses of which Truth have the prophets been in all Ages yea Christ himself and his Apostles with all the faithfull Martyrs to this yery day whose accusations still were these men are pestilent fellows movers of sedition ring leaders of Sects broachers of strange Doctrines teaching things contrary to the Law Seducers stirrers up of the people drawing disciples after them speaking against Caesar troublers of the State and the like but the Saints are in expectation that these men who thus resist the people of God as sometimes Jannes Iambres withstood Moses shall not proceed much farther that their folly shal be made manifest to all For this wicked one and all such as act from him and for him shal the Lord consume shortly by the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming as hath in some measure been fulfilled already in our dayes and shall be more and more till Babylon be wholly fallen as a milstone to the bottom of the Sea never to rise again any more and till the Beast be taken and with him the false Prophets and be cast alive into the Lake of fire burning with Brimston If new Gives and Fetters be not contriving for the Saints why are the poor misled and ungratefull Citizens so constantly hurried on with most troublesome and unwearied paines to remonstrate Petition upon Petition and act contrary to the Priviledges of Parliament their own interests and the Kingdomes little dreaming what a foundation they are laying for their own destruction if affairs be transacted after their desires numerously and tumultuously and now formally attending day after day at Westminster as if they intended to force the Parliament to some unjust Laws or Ordinances against other men for satisfaction of their own carnall lusts and others who continually instigate and solicite them to this service Saying in their hearts we will not have this man to reign over us Come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours Let us traduce these men Petition against them and every way make them vile and odious to the Magistrates and the People That now they have subdued the Enemy for us we may divide the places of Honour and Profit amongst our selves passionately and with uncivill language every where complaining of them as Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks and such who though they have ventured lives and estates for their preservations yet because they differ but it may be in some petty circumstance or opinion from them must be thought unfit to breath in the same common aire with them and to enjoy the common priviledges and liberties of Native Subjects though if any they have most right unto them as by birth claiming the same interests with others and having redeemed them well nigh lost by their own prowesse and valour
Saviour Christ hath commanded that the tares and the wheat should grow together till the barvest what cruelty is this toward such men 〈…〉 live peaceably among men unblameable in their conversation pay you tax and tribute and in a word doe in all things which the Apostle Paul exercise themselves to keep faith and a good conscience towards God and men what cruelty I say is it that the Citâ—… Magistrate should be incensed against them should by all wayes be solicited not to give them a toleration that it not to suffer them when they have so faithfully engaged for them The field in the Parable must have some interpretation it must have reference to Church or State Christ would have them suffered some where but their adversaries who pretend so much for Christ are indeed in this particular as in many other things Antichrist i. e. against Christ he saith let them grow together these men say nay let them be pulled up lamentable will the condition of many people in this Kingdome and other places be if many choise young men and others who are ordained by Iesus Christ to eternall life and glory and have received a large portion of the spirit of Jesus Christ the only teacher of his people whereby they may edifie and build others up in the most holy faith if the mouths of these must be stopped for want of that empty and fruitlesse as is conceived Ceremony of Ordination which the doctrine peradventure of the Presbyterie of Scotland hath tought their consciences to startle at and deny for in the I. booke of the Disciplin of the Kirke of Scotland commanded to be practised in the same Kirks Anno Dom. 1641. under the head of Admission this they teach pag. 31. Other Ceremony then the publick Approbation of the people and Declaration of the chiefe Minister that the person there presented is appointed to serve the Church We cannot approve son all be it the Apostles used Imposition of Hands yet seeing the miracle is ceased the using of the Ceremony we iudge not necessary If any gift were conveyed who would deny nay who would not rejoyce to be partaker of it but whilst men see that this is but a vain Imitation of that primitive Apostolical Presbytety who had received from Iesus Christ and could convey to others such gifts of the Spirit for the Ministry of the Gospel as have been lost whilst we have been under the power of Antichrist and such as none of the Sons of men have received at this day and therefore cannot bestow on others they are exceedingly troubled in their Spirits can iudge the ceremony at the least but a taking of Gods name in vaine Let my counsell then wise Counsellors be acceptable touching these men that as in all your Declarations whilst you had any need of them either in their Persons or Estates 〈…〉 have ingaged to be tender towards them which Tendernesse they could conceive to be no lesse then a continued liberty in 〈…〉 severall wayes of worship which they then enjoyed and not after the lesse of many of their lives and a parting with a good part of ther lively hoods for your preservation an imprisoning of their persons and a wasting of the remainder by Attendance Suites Fees Fines and such other charges as necessarily attend such a condition And all this for the practise of those very things you seemed then to allow in them when you thus time after time declared Tendernesse towards them oh doe not doe not thus keep promise with them let not this â—e the recompence you give them for all the labour of love they have shewed unto you doe not for the gratification of a few men who from Sion Colledge either vent their considerations contrary to your Ordinances when they like them not or send you Votes Orders and Ordinances though Subâ—illy and mediately by the Assembly at their pleasures which you must confirme or be rayled at in every Pulpit in the City and have the 〈…〉 against you and seâ—t crying 〈…〉 you for 〈…〉 such things as I dare say not one of a thousand of them knowes or understands having a strong influence also by their Emissaries upon the adjacent Counties that they may concur with them in their destructive wayes and actions if these men can 〈…〉 you thus already before they have any power in ther hands consider I pray what they would doe if power should be given them according to their desire we have too lately bought repentance from their predicessors the Bishops at too dear arate al which I lay before you and if you please to peruse this tract you shall see these men proved the greatest Hereticks and Schismaticks in the Kingdome at this day And as touching these men who are so much reproached by them you shall find them to be according to what they understand pure in religion having not the forme but the power of godlinesse in their publique and private meetings dayly praying the Lord for you innocent in their lives inoffensive in their conversations peaceable in the places where they live and obedient to your iust power Our Lord Iesus Christ in all his goings out with them in thâ—se few last yeares not only opening their purses buts their very bowels and hearts making them ready and willing to spend to be spent for you hath given both to your selves al the world in all ages to come a sufficient demonstration of their harmlessenesse integrity faithfulnesse unto you and if you wil not beleeve these speaking out on their behalfe neither would yee if an Angel from heaven should come and witness for them Now the God of wisedome give you to disâ—erne betwixt truth and errour betwixt good and evill friends and enemies Saints and Hereticks and to hearken to the wise counsell of Gameliel a great Statist concerning the Sectaries of those times Acts 5. 35. 38. 39. with which I shall conclude take heed to your selves what you intend to doe at touching these men refraine from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or worke be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God yee cannot overthrow it least happily yee be even found fighters against God I verily thought I ought to doe many things against the name of Iesus And many of the Saints did I shut up in prison I punisht them oft and compelled them to blaspheme and I persecuted them even to strange Cities To every Reader I Have endeavoured in this discourse so farre as the present opportunity and time would give me leave to undeceive thee however to hint out Truth and a way to others who have more leisure for prosecution the stile is without quaintnesse plaine and familiar that I might not speake to the meanest for whom I mainly did intend it as a Barbarian If you please to cast your eye upon this word of distinction following it may give you some light for the better understanding of
Sects and Heresies these vain words will not save us whilest we foment this spirit of Antichrist this principle of hatred persecution division in one another that some of us must judge for our selves and others too in the things of Christ that we must interpret the Word as if we were infallible when we acknowledge we are not so and must impose our own fullible sences and interpretations upon others and in case of non-Conformity must force obedience from them whilest we thus bite and devour one another let us take heed that we be not devoured one of another this Reformation is not after the Gospel God is love and he that dwels in love dwels in God and God in him and Christ so loved us as to lay down his life for us leaving us an example that we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren and not to take away the lives of the brethren because they differ from us our Lord Jesus Christ and his Ministers are of another minde all the New Testament over the weapons of our warfare saith St. Paul are not carnall but mighty through God and not through the arme of flesh So 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. the servants of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men patient with meeknesse instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance And Tit. 3. 2. shewing all meeknesse to all men look also into the 14. chap. of the Romans and you shall see of what different judgement and practises the Saints were there as they held contradictions so did they practise them too one would eat another would not eat one would regard a day and he did this to the Lord i. e. Because he was perswaded the Lord had so Commanded another would not regard a day and he did this to the Lord too being perswaded the Lord required no such observations friends here were contradictions amongst Saints in things of the highest nature in point of Worship most of the old Puritans and non-Conformists of this Kingdom know well what it is to keep or regard a day they can tell you that the most spirituall worship and the highest and chiefest service of Iesus Christ was concerned in it and was meant by it It was surely no indifferent thing as we have been perswaded to believe matters of religious cognisance were contained in it the Apostle speaking of it as done unto the Lord men observing or not observing as conscious of that duty which the Lord had enjoyned them or of that liberty wherewith Iesus Christ had made them free Now what is the Apostles councel in this controversie doth he advise to censuring condemning fining Imprisoning or killing one another no such thing but the contrary let not the weak Judge the strong and let not the strong despise the weak Chap 14. ver. 3. which he confirms with severall reasons every man stands or fals to his own master ver. 4. according to that of our Saviour Christ Math 23. 8. call no man Rabbi for one is your master and all ye are brethren and ver. 10. we shall all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ and then ver. 12. every one shall give an account of himself to God and Chap. 15. 1. The strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves and ver. 2. let every one please his neighbour for good to edification which he backs with this inforcing reason ver. 3. for even Christ pleased not himself and the conclusion of the whole matter is this ver. 7. Wherefore receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of his Father if Christ love receive and imbrace you although of differing Judgements and practises go ye and do likewise do ye love receive and imbrace each other These Scriptures are full and if opened would spin the thred of my discourse longer then I intended but there is very much in them if the Lord would give us an understanding that we might beleeve themâ— Friends they are our Gospell and I shall leave them with you as those which shall one day rise up in Judgement against such as have imbraced them and yet walk contrary to what they report unto us Undoubtedly the meanes that Christ hath appoynted to propagate his Gospell and to advance his Kingdome is the sword of the Spirit and not the sword of Stâ—â—le by this it is that Antichrist hath so enlarged his dominions as you may see Revel. 13. 7. and therefore heare his Doom which shall surely be accomplished on him and all such too as in this kind take part with him ver. 10.th that leads into Captivity must go into Captivity and he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and faith of the Saints according to that of our Saviour Matth. 26. 52. they that take the sword shall perish by the sword and before I shall passe from this I beseech you as you tender the comming of Iesus Christ his Kingdom which you daily pray for and the peace and welfare of this your own native Kingdome where you live that you would seriously consider with your selves whether this usurpation of power over the bodies of the Saints in respect of spirituall things as Antichrist himself hath done in all ages may not be the true and adequate cause why the Lord hath suffered the sword to bathe it self in blood and to make it selfe drunk with the blood of the slain in these parts for divers past and for many more in the parts beyond the seas so Rev. 16. 6. They have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy and what improbability is there of Peace amongst us whilest this devillish spirit of hatred and persecution for the devill was a murtherer from the beginning which hath given Antichrist his denomination life and being doth yet abide is nourished and maintained by us And so I come to the second Point wherein I shall be brief which is That though the Presbyterian Churches were truly constituted and ordered according to the rule of the word as indeed they are not yet maintaining any errour either in judgement or practise that the rest of the Christians in the Kingdom who joyn not themselves to them cannot truly and properly be termed Schismaticks for this I have told you formerly in this discourse whilest I opened the severall words that according to the true nature of the word Schisme signifies a dis-union division or cleaving asunder of parts which were before united in a solid body Let us apply this to the businesse in hand and Schisme is nothing else but a division or separation in judgement and practise of persons from some Church or body to which they were before united and when I pray was it that those who are now called Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks were joyned together in a body with those who