Word of God the touchstone of all truth the best judge of all Controversies it appears there were no ecclesiastical Bishops or Elders in the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes but such as were either extraordinarily Called and sent by Christ as were the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Workers of Miracles and such as had the gifts of healing or speaking with or interpreting of divers Tongues a 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 c. Ephes 4. 11. or else such as were ordinarily called and sent by these or by the Presbytery of ordained Elders who impos'd their hands on them with Fasting and Prayer b Titus 1. 5 7. Acts 14. 23. 13. 2. c. 1 Tim. 3. 10. 4. 14. 5. 22. 2 Sith in each Congregation or Church we read of in Scripture there were more than one ordained Bishop or Elder in the Primitive Church placed there according to the bigness of the City or Church by the first Planters c Acts 14. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20. 12. Phil 1. 1. Titus 1. 5 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Sith many were given by Christ to the Church Ephes 4 11. and placed there by the Holy Ghost Acts 20. 28. and 1 Cor. 12. 28. and by the Apostles Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. 5 7. yea Christ when he sent forth his Apostles paired them which also the Holy Ghost confirms in sending Paul and Barnabas after they had been separated or ordained by the Eâ—ders of Antioch for the work whereunto God had caâ—led them d Acts 13. 1 2. yea when these two holy men differed in judgement yet singly they went not alone to plant or water the Churches for Paul chose Silas and Barnabas Mark both which were teaching Elders e Acts 15. 39 40. 16. 13. 4 Sith we read of one Elder of a Church absent and so detained by St. Paul f Phil 2. 30. who had other Elders to feed them g Phil 1. 1. Câ—l 1. 7. and of Epaphras at Coloss Minister who was with the Apostle at Rome whilst the Church had Archyppus to teach them Colos 4. 12. 17. 5 Sith its inconvenient if not hurtful to have but one Bishop or Elder in a Congregation to feed and rule the people therein who being sick as was Epaphroditus of Philippi or otherwise lawfully imployed as was Epaphras of the Church of Coloss h Phil 2. 25. Col 4. 13. the Congregation in the mean time may starve or want food at least be neglected and exposed to danger as sheep without a Shepheard i Ezek 34. 8. and the publick Ordinances of Christ be omitted on the Sabbath day or at least not be so seasonably and perfectly performed as they ought to be as is evident by daily experience in many places and therefore its necessary at least convenient that there should be more than one ordained Elder in every Church otherwise how can he aright receive the Lords Supper when there is no Elder in Christs name authoritatively to bid him take and eat and to represent Christs person to command him to do it as Christ gave it to his Apostles and they distributed each to other and so to the Church as they had received of the Lord k Luke 22. 17 1 Cor 11. 23 24. Vt in prima coenae institutione discipuli oculos habuere intentos ad Dominum qui ad mensam sedens porrexit discipulis corporis sanguinis Sacramentum ita nos quoque levemus corda nostra ad Dominum qui illiâ— agens nobis ministrorum manibus porrigit verum suum copus c Haeming Comment in Loc August de Consensu Evang lib 3. Mat 5. â—7 for the Minister his action and words are herein Sacramental it belonging only to the Ministers of the Gospel to break the Bread and bless the Cup 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. though some unwarily of late have practised the contrary nor Secondly without there be two or more of those ordained Elders in a Church can christians perform the duty the Apostle requires of them in sickness viz. to send for the Elders of the Church to pray for them James 5. 14. nor can one Elder annoint the sick person with Oyl in the name of the Lord the Commission being given not singly to one Elder but jointly to two at the least Nor Thirdly can the people observe aright as I conceive those rules of giving them double honor 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thes 5. 12. and to know them that labor among them and are over them in the Lord admonish them to submit to and obey them that watch for their Souls and are their guides Heb. 13. 7 17. if there be only one Elder in their Congregation Nor Fourthly can the Doctrine the Minister preacheth be so fully coâ—firmed unless there be two or three of the Elders to ratifie it Christ himself had his Father with him to bear witness of the truth he spake John 8. 18. though his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been sufficient for in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word shall be established l Mat 18. 16 Nor Fifthly can the discipline of Christ in each Church be rightly administred unless there be two or three of thâ—se ordained Elders gathered together in Christs name to bind or loose as Christ requires m Mat 18. 17 20. which makes up a Representative Church as the company of Prophets are called n 1 Sam 19 20 for so Christ speaks to his Apostles and in them to the Elders that succeed them What ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and what two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing ye shall ask it shall be done for you of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. 18 20. Nor lastly can the wicked be so fully convinced neither here in the Church nor yet hereafter in the day of Judgement unless there be two or three of these o Luke 10. 16 Acts 13. 46 2 Thes 1. 10 therefore St. Paul excommunicates not the incestious Person but as joyned with other Elders p which authority the Lord gave unto them for edification q 2 Cor. 10. 8 yea Christ himself distinguisheth the Elders l 1 Cor. 5. 4 and Angel of the Presbytery in Thyatira Rev. 2. 18 24. from the people and divers of the holy Martyrs in the Primitive Church confirm the same r Clem. Epist ad Cor pag 54 Polycarp Epist ad Phillip Ambros Com. in Eph cap 4 Iraeneus calls all the first overseers of the Church of Rome Presbyters s Iraen Epist ad Victor adv Haeres lib 4 chap 43 as Saint Luke long before had called all the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20. 17 28. yea Evaristus Martyr who was the Angel or chief Presbyter of the Church of Rome ordained seven Presbyters to be in every City for Doctrine and Discipline t Gratian dist 93. cap legimuâ— Cyprian would do nought
ENGLANDS Deplorable Condition SHEWING The COMMON-WEALTHS Malady By Sacriledge and want of Duty in the People Contention want of Charity in the Ministery Perjury and want of Truth in both And Its Remedy By The Peoples Obedience and Liberality The Ministers Love and Unity Both their Repentance and Fidelity Briefly Declar'd in THREE TREATISES Of The Ministers Patrimony and Peoples Duty Proposals to reconcile such as are for Lordly Episcopacy and Un-ordain'd Presbytery for Popular Independancy and Upstart Antipaedobaptistry And against Perjury Also a Petition for the JEWS As they that served at the Altar lived of it so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of it 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. Every Devoted thing is most holy to the Lord it shall be the Priests it shall not be sold nor redeemed Lev. 27. 21 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intentione Dantis Exod. 20. 2 6. Extentione Recipientis 1 Cor. 16. 14. Impletione Mandatorum Rom. 13. 8. Acceptatione Evangelii Luk. 10. 27 28. Origine Obedientiae 1 Cor. 13. 1 c. Operatione nullius mali Rom. 13. 10. Who shall inherit heaven He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Psal 15. 4. That hath not sworn deceitfully Psal 24. 4. I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back Judg. 11. 35. Even so hath the Jews now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy Rom. 11. 34. London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Richard Skelton or at the Hand and Bible in Duck-lane 1659. To all that tremble at Gods Word and fear an Oath Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Hope BELOVED AFfliction the Rod God useth to correct us with for he scourgeth every Son he receiveth Heb. 12. being laid on me it made me in Jan. 8. 1651. to search and try my wayes and to turn unto the Lord and because no man as David saith knoweth his errors therefore I prayed in the words of Elihu Job 34. 32. that which I see not shew thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do so no more and knowing it a truth by experience formerly which he spake Job 33. 15. That God speaketh in a dream in visions of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumbring on the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction c. though I abhor those filthy Dreamers St. Jude speaks of and those Enthusiasts condemn'd by Eusebius Eccles Hist Tripart lib. 7. cap. Epiphan scholast Interpr Hi enim cujusdam Daemonis operationem expectant hanc sancti spiritus presentiam arbitrantur whose successors most of our Ranters and Quakers are who believe things contrary to the written Word and practice what the Scriptures condemn as did these old Messalians Euchitae for by all these three names they are call'd there After which God shewed me according to my Prayer my not performing my Oath and Covenant in a Sermon by accident I heard in Bathe as I was travelling through that Town and shortly after moved me exceedingly in a Dream to write against the sin of Perjury and to add it to my former Tract in my first Book I delivered to the King 1647. against this sin for sith the Lord punish'd him for this sin how can he spare us unless we repent of it And though I humbled my self for this sin presently yet was I not resolved to print it till in March following reading Ezek. 9. 4. that we ought not to mourn for our own sins only but for the sins of the Land I bethought my self of them and then was moved as I conceive by Gods Spirit for his glory and his Churches good and the discharge of my duty to makâ— a Vow to write against the sins in this Book specified and then I prayed for direction and assistance for grace wisdom and prudence for strength health and means to effect it so as it may accomplish the ends desired c. And though Satan hitherto hath much bindred me together with mine own infirmities whilst I too much looked on the things seen and conferr'd with flesh and blood Yet now Christian Reader for he ends alone above-specified and to pay my Vow with fear and trembling at Gods Word and the judgements that hang over our heads and not for any by-interest to any Person or malice or hatred against any or out of pride prejudice or self-seeking have I imprinted this as God is my Record whom I serve in the Spirit I speak the truth and lie not And therefore what is of God and agreeable to his Word I desire thee only to hold fast and practice What hath not warrant thence impute it to my ignorance and weakness which in Christs name I desire thee to pardon but before thou judge any thing prove it by the Word to be an error without partiality or hypocrisie self-love interest or fear of Man and the Lord grant us both the Spirit of Discerning to know the things that differ and to approve the things that are most excellent and to walk in the light when we have it without detaining the truth in unrighteousness lest the wrath of God be revealed from Heaven against us for it but grant that we may be sincere and without offence now and hereafter in the day of Christ which the Lord grant for Christs sake AMEN So wisheth thy Souls Friend E. F. de C. V. ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. justly claim p 3 l 4 Chemosh l 15 per l 37 chad p 4 l 12 Nicephorus p 5 l 16 the Maintenance l 22 he which l 27 de fructibus p 7 l 30 Judae l 24 in coâ—spectu p 8 l 5 admoveat l 19 Areopagitae l 38 this p 13 l 10 and to bring p 14 l 15 ademi possit p 20 l 26 clargiti p 22 l 1 Haeres p 26 l 4 Gal 3 15 p 30 l 33 for their p 31 l â—6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 37 l 35 ab authore p 38 l 38 Advowsons p 40 l 9 Clinici l 36 another p 47 l 21 Alfred p 56 l 35 fraus p 58 l 11 yet p 60 l 28 dele they THE MINISTERS OF THE Gospels Patrimony AND THE Saints Duty THE Earth is Iehovaehs and the plenty thereof the World a Ps 24. 1 2. Deut. 10. 14. and they that sit therein both by right of Creation for he hath founded it on the Seas and establisht it on the Rivers and by right of conservation for as all things were made by him so he upholdeth all things by the word of his power b Heb. 4. 1. Psalm 50. 12. In him we live move and have our being c Acts 17. 26 And he hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the whole earth and hath determined the times
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
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
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