whom these Informers pretend were met in a seditious manner you found met in a peaceable manner and that they were doing nothing else but praying to God in the name of Christ and preaching and hearing God's holy Word and that you think you should sin against God if you should disturb or punish men for worshipping and serving God under a pretence of suppressing of seditious Conventicles and that in your judgment the Informers ought to be punished as false accusers rather than these men for serving God Under the Law when one man was a witness against another and testified that which was wrong diligent inquisition was to be made and if the witness had testified that which was false the Magistrates were to punish the false witness and not the party against whom he had testified false things and his punishment was to be according to what he had intended to have done against his brother against whom he was a false witness Deut. 19.16 18 19 If a false witness rise up against any man to testifie against him that which was wrong The judge shall make diligent inquisition And behold if the witness be a false witness and hath testified falsly against his brother Then shalt thou do unto him as he thought to do unto his brother so shalt thou put evil away from among you Respect to the command of God should keep Magistrates from being too sudden in crediting and acting upon the testimony of these Informers till according to God's appointment they have made diligent inquisition whether there be truth in what they have testified and if they find them false witnesses they should execute the Law of Moses against them and that for these reasons 1. The equity and righteousness of the Law 2. This would be a means of putting away evil from among them which may be understood two ways 1. It would put away the evil of sin because punishing the false witness would deter others from becoming false witnesses 2. It would put away the evil of punishment for if they connive at false witnesses which oppress innocent persons this will bring down God's Judgments upon themselves as well as these false witnesses Inf. 8. Whereas these Informers and their adherents do not only privately accuse these Ministers and their hearers to the Magistrates but sometimes take upon them to get Officers and Souldiers and come to their Assemblies in a rude and hostile manner and disturb them while they are in the worship and service of God and do put on that impudence as to call to the Minister that is praying or preaching to come down I would advise them to consider two or three things 1. What an irreligious action this is how inconsistent with the fear of God and with the reverence which is due to men made after the image of God to disturb the servants of God for doing those things which are commanded of God in the very time and season that they are worshipping and serving the Lord. God is to be feared at all times and places but more especially the awe and dread of God is to be upon us when his servants are assembled to worship him and we are present at their Assemblies Ps 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him Do you fear God greatly when you come into the Assemblies of his Saints and call to them in the time of their devotion to leave off the service of God 2. What befel Uzzah for putting forth his hand and taking hold of the Ark when the oxen that carried it stumbled and the Ark shook God was angry with him and smote him with sudden death 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the oxen shook it And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah And God smote him there for his errour and he died Uzzah 's taking hold of the Ark was no malicious act no plotted deliberate wilful sin but an errour a rash action yet for this errour and rashness he dyed upon the place where his sin was committed though it is likely he had a good end in what he did If rashness and errour in taking hold of the Ark a type of God's presence among the Jews was punished with such severity in Uzzah what severity may these men expect from God for premeditated and deliberate acts of violence against his servants who are temples of God and have God really and truly dwelling in them by his holy Spirit when they hale them out of their Assemblies and force them to desist from the service of God 3. Remember what befel Jeroboam for stretching out his hand to take the Prophet for delivering the Lords message his hand was suddenly dryed up that he could not pull it in again 1 King 13 14 And it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God which had cryed against the Altar in Bethel that he put forth his hand from the Altar and said Lay hold on him And his hand which he put forth against him dryed up so that he could not pull it in again to him Jeroboam was a King yet for attempting to take hold of a Prophet for doing the work God set him about this remarkable and sudden Judgment of God came upon him If God dealt thus with such a tall Cedar what may the shrubs expect These men that take upon them to lay hold of the Ministers and Servants of Christ while they are about the Lords work and call them to cease may fear lest their tongues should cleave to the roof of their mouths or their arms wither or some other great Judgment should fall upon them in the act of their sin 4 Let that Judgment also which fell upon the Captains and Soldiers that went to Elijah and called to him to come down be minded by those that fetch Officers and Soldiers to the Assemblies of these men and take upon them to call them to come down out of their Pulpits when they are praying to God or instructing the people It concerns these Informers and those Officers and Soldiers that come along with them to be awakened by this Judgment to take heed what they do against these men 2 King 1.9 10 Then the King sent to him a Captain of fifty with his fifty and he went up to him and behold he sate on the top of an hill And he spake unto him Thou man of God the King hath said come down And Elijah answered and said unto the Captain of fifty If I be a man of God then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty And there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty The same Judgment of fire from Heaven for the same sin came upon another Captain of fifty and his fifty v. 11 12. The sin of these Informers and the Officers
people of God shall have such a day of trouble as never was since the world stood 2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9 It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and from the glory of his power CHAP. V. Humble Advice to Magistrates not to countenance these Informers nor to suppress the Non-conformist Ministers or their Meetings SEeing these Informers are wont to address themselves to the Magistrates and bring false accusations to them against these Ministers called Non-conformists informing them that they keep Seditious Conventicles and do thereby excite and stir them up to imprison or fine those Ministers and suppress their Assemblies I shall crave leave before I conclude this discourse humbly to advise and request those Magistrates to whom these Informers address themselves for assistance in their undertakings First That they would not give any countenance to this generation of men that take upon them the employ of being Informers Secondly That they do not at their instigation punish the Ministers and Servants of Christ when no other Crime can be proved against them but that they have been praying to God in the Name of his Son or that they have been Preaching or hearing his Holy Word 1. My humble request to you is that you would give no countenance or encouragement to this sort of Men. And that for Gods sake in whose stead you are placed in the world for your own sake and for the Kingdom sake that guilt and wrath come not upon your selves and upon the Kingdom for the sake of these Informers that they be not multiplyed and increased Give me leave to touch briefly on these Heads 1. You are Gods Vicegerents you stand in his Room and Rule in his stead When God made Moses Ruler over Aron and the people of Israel he tells him Thou shalt be to him instead of God Exod. 4.16 You rule and judge not for your selves but for the Lord who stands by and observes what you say and what you do and therefore you had need take heed what judgment you pass upon every man that comes before you 2 Chron. 19.6 Take heed what you do for ye judg not for men but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment And seeing you stand in Gods stead and rule and judge for him Look how the Lord God would carry himself if he were in your Places so ye ought to carry your selves whom he would encourage those you ought to encourage whom he would rebuke and reprove those ye ought to rebuke and reprove Now consider with your selves if the Lord Jesus Christ were on Earth and were in your place and these Informers came unto him to complain against his Servants for praying and Preaching and hearing his Word what are your thoughts and what do your Consciences tell you he would do in this case would he countenance or reprove and Punish them surely he would give no Countenance to such vile persons in such a sinful undertaking 2. By asisting these men you will bring down Gods Wrath upon your selves and the Nation Upon your selves To evidence this weigh what was said by the Prophet to Jehoshaphat 2 Chr. 19.2 Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that bate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. This Wrath came upon Jehoshaphat for helping Ahab in fighting against the Syrians Here let it be considered 1. That Jehoshaphat was a great man he was King of Judah he was also a good man v. 3. Nevertheless there are good things in thee in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the Land and hast prepared thy Heart to seek God Yet neither his greatness nor his goodness kept of the wrath of God from him for helping an ungodly man 2. Ahab whom Jehoshaphat helped was a King King of Israel And it might seem good policy for one neighbouring Paince to help another Because by helping Ahab he might have had his help another time against the adversaries of Juda yet neither did this excuse him 3. The Persons against whom Jehoshaphat helped Ahab were the Syrians And the Syrians were Idolaters that Worshipped strange Gods 2 Chr. 28.23 They were also great enemies to the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah Jer. 9.12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind and they shall devour Israel with open Mouth They were a People devoted to destruction 1 Kings 20.42 Now if Jehoshaphat incurred the displeasure of God for helping Ahab because he was an ungodly man to suppress the Syrians who were Idolators and enemies of Israel and Judah How can you think but that you shall bring down the Wrath of God upon your selves if you help these Informers who go about to oppress and suppress the Servants of the true and Living God while they are worshiping serving the Lord. If it be said It doth not appear to you that these Informers are ungodly men and such as hate the Lord you do not judge them like Ahab that had sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. If you did then you might fear God would be angry with you for being helpful to them To that I answer 1. If you please to peruse those demonstrations which I have given out of the Scriptures of the Evil of their ways in the second of Chron. you may be convinced that their practices are not consistent with godlyness In some respects those men are worse then Ahab for when Ahab was reproved by Elijah for taking a possession of Naboths Vineyard which he had gotten by unjust means he humbled himself before God and Fasted and rent his Cloaths and lay in Sackcloth 1 Kings 21.27.29 But we hear of no Humilliation from these men after they have been reproved for taking into their possession other mens Goods which they obtain by undue means And as you will bring the Wrath of God upon your selves so also upon the Nation if you countenance and incourage this sort of Men. When the Rulers do not punish evil doers they bring guilt and Wrath not only upon themselves but upon the Nation where they live how much more if they give encouragement to them Nehe. 13.17 18. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah and said unto them what evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day Did not your Fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this Citie yet ye bring more Wrath upon Isarel by prophaning the Sabbath They were the meaner sort of the People that prophaned the Sabbath such as bare burthens trode the Winepress sold Fish and other wares v. 15.16 And because
the Nobles did not restrain them what these men did is laid to the Charge of the Nobles And Nehemiah tells them they brought Wrath upon Israel by prophaning the Sabbath 3. If you carry it toward those men as though they were righteous acquiting them when complaints and appeals are made to you or rewarding them as though they had done well when their iniquity and folly is manifest and hateful almost to all men you will lose your respect among the People Prov. 24.24 25. He that saith to the Wicked thou art Righteous him shall the People Curse Nations shall abhor him But to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good Blessing 4. They are usually the basest of men that take upon them this imployment men of a very ill same in the Place where they live if their conversations were Looked into there are such Blots upon some of them as would make them abhorred of all sober men And if such men be exalted countenanced and rewarded it will cause Wickedness and Wicked Persons to abound in the Nation Prov. 12.18 The Wicked walk on every side when the vilest persons are exalted If you harken to the Lying informations these men bring against innocent Persons it will not only incourage them but others also to Tread in their Steps Prov. 29.11 If a ruler hearken unto lyes all his Servants are Wicked But if you would shew your selves angry with them for Backbiting and Slandring those that are peaceable you would soon free your selves from the Trouble of these men and the Nation also Prov. 15.23 The North Wind driveth away Rain so doth an angry Countenance a backbiting tongue 2. My humble request to you is that you would not punish any of the Ministers or other Servants of Christ when no other Crime is or can be proved against them but their meeting together to pray to God in the name of Christ or to preach and hear his holy Word The advice which Gamaliel gave the rulers of the Jews when the Apostles were brought before the Council for Preaching after they had received strict Charge to forbear teaching the People was wise and seasonable advice I humbly offer the same to you Act. 5.38 39. Refrain from these men and let them alone for if this Council or this Work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrough it lest happily ye be found even to sight against God That this advice may be more effectual I humbly intreat you to consider 1. What a strict charge the Lord Jesus hath given his Ministers to preach his word He chargeth them three times as they love him to feed his Sheep and his Lambs John 21.15 16 17. Jesus said to Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas Lovest thou me more than those Feed my Lambs Lovest thou me Feed my Sheep Lovest thou me Feed my Sheep He chargeth them as they will answer the neglect thereof at the day of Judgment to preach the word in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all patience and long suffering He hath laid it upon them as a necessary duty to Preach the Gospel and pronounces a Wo against them that neglect it 1 Cor. 9.16 Necessity is laid upon me Yea Wo unto me if I Preach not the Gospel Will ye forbid will punish these men for doing that for which they have such a strict command from Jesus Christ 2. Consider what a high respect and dear love the Lord Jesus beareth to all those that hear his word and do it He loveth and honoureth them as he loved and honoured his Mother and his Brethren Luk. 8.20 21. And it was told him by certain that said Thy Mother and thy Brethren stand without desiring to see thee And he answered and said my Mother and my Brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it If the Virgin Mary the Mother of Christ were now upon the earth you would offer no injury to her you would not disturb her at her devotion you would not punish her for hearing the word of God but shew all respect to her You should be as unwilling to offer any violence or suffer any wrong to be done to those that hear and do the word of God as you would to the Mother and Brethren of Christ For he loveth and respecteth them that hear and do Gods word as he did his Mother and his Brethren 3. Remember what a charge the Lord hath given you not to touch his anoynted and do his prophers no harm Ps 105.15 Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm This charge is given in an especial manner to Rulers and Governors as appears from the foregoing words He reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm By his anointed whom he would not have you touch Fiscator and several other interpreters understand Vnctos donis Spiritus Sancti Such as are anointed with the gifts and graces of the Spirit The pouring out of the Spirit is called an Unction and the anoynting 1 John 2.20 27. Prophets were of two sorts first such as had an extraordinary call and could foretel things to come Secondly as were qualified and called to teach and instruct the people though they had no extraordinary gifts 1 Cor. 14.3 He that Prophesieth speaketh unto men to edisication and exhortation and confort And so the word prophet is used Math. 10.41 for a Minister of the Gospel Now though this charge of not touching his anoynted and doing his prophets no harm was primarily given to those rulers where Ahraham and his posterity sojourned yet it equally concerneth all rulers in all ages not to touch those he hath anointed with his holy Spirit and to do no harm to any of his Ministers 4. Let it be considered that Praying and Preaching are means appointed by God for the saving mens souls Prayer is a means of obtaining salvation Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Amos. 5.4 Thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live And the Preaching the Gospel is a special means for obtaining salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Yea even that Preaching which the world derides and counts Foolishness God blesseth it to the saving of Souls 1 Cor. 1.21 After that in the Wisdom of God the World by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And the saving of Souls from hell torments is a work of the greatest moment in the whole world The Eternal Son of God became man and humbled himself to death to
the painful accursed death of the Cross to save lost Souls 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners And great care should be used that we do not hinder the obtaining that for which Christ shed his precious blood The greatest good we can do for any man is to further and the greatest hurt is to hinder his Salvation 5. It is recorded to the honour of Hezekiah that he was an encourager of all that did faithfully dispence the word of God 2 Chr. 30.22 Hezekiah speak comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord. And as he did incourage the Ministers of Gods word so God did wonderfully bless him 2 Chr. 31.30 Hezekiah prospered in all his works And it is recorded of Herod as one of his chief sins that he imprisoned one of Gods Ministers Luk 3.19 20. But Herod the Tetrarch being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils which Herod had done Added this above all that he shut up John in prison Herod was guilty of many evils but this is noted as the principal as that which was above all the rest that he shut up John in prison And as it is a great sin to afflict the Ministers and servants of Christ so it is usally followed with a sore judgment Herod who stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the Church soon after dyed in a miserable manner being eaten up of Worms Act. 12.1 2 3 23. Pharaoh who oppressed Israel and would not let them go to serve the Lord in the wilderness was followed with one plague after another till he was destroyed 6. Rulers ought not to be a terrour to such as do good works but to encourage and protect them Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evill Wilt thou then not be affraid of the power do that which is good and thou shall have praise of the same Preaching of the Gospel whereby men may be saved and praying to God in the name of Christ are good works and therefore rulers ought not to be a terrour to any man for these works 7. We are taught and Commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to pray to the Lord to send forth labourers into his Vineyard because the harvest is great and the labourers are but few Then said he to his disciples The harvest truly is plentious but the labourers are but few Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest To pray for labourers and when God hath sent them forth to molest and trouble them for labouring is to contradict our prayers Let the Ignorance Atheism Profaneness the growth of Errour and the small number of Preachers that are found in the Faith and of an holy conversation be considered and laid to heart and it will evidently appear that there is great need of prayer for more Labourers and of encouraging those that are sent forth and of not suppressing any that are faithful peaceable and diligent in the Work of the Lord. Obj. 1. If it be replyed These informers accuse these Ministers that they keep seditious Conventicles and are ready to give oath of it and as such we are obliged by the Law to suppress them An. 1. Rulers ought to be wise as an Angel of God to discern good from evil 2. Sam. 14 17. As an Angel of God so is my Lord the King to descern good and bad And that is no hard matter in the Noon day of the Gospel to distinguish between Religion and sedition When Job was a Ruler among his People he was diligent to search out the truth of all causes that came before him and when he found any Wicked man oppressing the righteous he was so far from rewarding him that he plucked the Spoil out of his Teeth and if he held it fast and would not let it go he break his Jaws rather than suffer him to hold his Spoils Job 29.16 17. The Cause which I knew not I searched out I break the Jaws of the wicked and pulled the Spoil out of his Teeth 2. These Ministers as was hinted before do abhor seditious Conventicles and are falsly accused by these Informers and Magistrates should be slow to believe their false accusations and not proceed to Act against them till they have searched into the truth of these informations and that for several reasons as 1. The great enmity that is in the heart of the Wicked against Righteous men which makes them eager to do them all the Mischief they can The Scripture speaks so frequently and so fully of this that I shall need to say the less Prov. 4.16 They sleep not except they have done Mischief and their Sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall Ps 37.19 32. The Wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his Teeth The Wicked watcheth the Righteous and seeketh to slay him 2. They are under a temptation of gain and the Love of Mony is the Root of all evil and therefore it is no wonder if they prove false accusers of them against whom they have a great enmity and by accusing of whom they make a great advantage 3. The rule that is given to Magistrates in the word of God is not to proceed to Punishment upon reports till they have made diligent search and have certain proof of the truth of the fact Deut. 13.13 14 15. If thou shalt hear say Then shalt thou enquire and make search and ask diligently and behold if it be truth and the thing certain that such abomination is wrought among you 3. These Ministers and those that assemble with them are oftentimes judged and sentence passed upon them for to take away their Goods before they have been heard or had their accusers Face to Face yea sometimes before they know who it is that hath accused them and this seemeth to me to be against the Light and Law of Nature which teacheth that a man ought not to be condemned till he hath had his accusers face to face and hath had Licence to answer for himself The Romans had no other Light to regulate them in their judicial proceedings but the Light of Nature yet they observed this Rule not to pass sentence upon a man till he had his accusers face to face and had liberty to answer for himself Act. 15.16 It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to dy before he that is accused hath the accusers face to face and have Liberty to answer for himself concerning the Crime laid against him If the Romans which were Heathens how much more should Christian Magistrates forbear condemning any man till he hath seen his accusers heard his accusation and been Permitted to make his own defence The name of Pilat is odious in the Christian World and will be to all generations for Condemning our Lord
with Balack's messengers he thought he had good warrant to go for God had said If the men come to call thee rise up and go with them Which some conceive to be spoken Ironically others by way of Indignation seeing he had tempted God by coming again to enquire of his going when he knew it was expresly against his mind He spake in anger and said Rise up and go with them Or if he had leave there was covetousness or malice or some other evil in his heart whether he had a Warrant to go or not I do not now enquire but this is certain God was angry with him for going Numb 22.22 Gods anger was kindled against him because he went And he was in danger to be slain by the Angel that stood in the way 4 If you think your selves obliged by virtue of the Law to go along with these Informers if you find nothing of Sedition in the Assembly to which they carry you if you find them met in a peaceable manner Preaching sound Doctrine praying for things agreeable to the Will of God instead of cursing them or punishing them leave your blessing upon them and say The blessing of the Lord be upon you and punish these Informers as false accusers When Balaam went to Balack instead of cursing Isiael he blessed them though he angred Balack thereby and lost great honours and promotions They that will rather curse an Israelire than run the hazard of small losses of losing their dignities and promotions come short of Balaam who yet fell short of eternal lise Obj. 3. We have yet one scruple more about these men and these Meetings if we could get over that we would not molest them and it is this we shall not be accounted the Kings friends if we do not suppress these Men but shall be accounted friends and favourers of Phanaticks If it were not for this we would not meddle with them Answ 1. This is a strong temptation upon some men to do irregular things for fear they should not be esteemed the Kings friends as we may see in the case of Pilat he was very loth to have meddled with Christ when the Jews brought him He would know what Crime they had to lay to his charge before he would do ought against him Joh. 18 29. What accusation have ye brought against this man And when they pretended he was a Malefactor Pilat was very desirous to have been excused from meddling in the case vers 31. Take ye him and judge him according to your Law And when they urged him he vindicated Christ vers 32. I find in him no fault at all And when they pressed hard upon him to crucify Christ he would have put them off again and told them he could find no fault in him Chap. 19. v. 6. They cryed out saying Crucify him Crucify him Pilat saith unto them Take ye him and Crucify him for I find no fault in him Then they plead their Law that by their Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God vers 7. Upon hearing this that it was given out that he was the Son of God he was the more afraid to give sentence against him and sought which way to release him vers 8.9 12. Then they used this devise they tell Pilat he should not be looked upon as Caesars friend if he let Christ go If thou let this man go thou art not Caesars Friend And though he had withstood the reasonings and importunities of the Jews hitherto the hearing of this that he should not be Caesars Friend prevailed with him contrary to his judgment and Conscience to deliver up Christ to be Crucifyed v. 12 13 16. If thou let this man go thou art not Caesars Friend When therefore Pilat heard this saying he brought Jesus forth and sate down in the judgment seat Then delivered ho him to be Crucifyed If things be duly estimated these Informers that Stir up Magistrates to Punish the Kings Subjects for praying and Preaching and those that take in with them will appear to be none of the Kings Friends but rather his adversaries For 1. They that misuse Gods Ministers bring Gods Wrath upon the Kingdom as hath been before proved from 2 Chr. 36.16 They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the Wrath of the Lord arose against his People till there was no Remedy Is not this misusing the Lords Prophets and Messengers when they are Punished for Preaching Gods Word and whether are they to be reckoned the Kings Friends or Enemies that bring the Wrath of God upon his Kingdom 2. David counted those his Adversaries that prompted him to Punish Shimei when he was setled upon his Throne in Peace and yet Shimei had cursed David to his Face in the day of his distress 2 Sam. 19.21 22. And Abishai the Son of Zervia said shall not Shimei be put to Death for this because he cursed the Lords anointed And David said what have I to do with you ye Sons of Zervia that ye should this day be adversaries unto me shall there any man be put to Death this day in Israel for do I not know that I am this day King in Israel These men pray for the King and Kingdoms welfare And if David accounted the Sons of Zerviah his adversaries for stiring him up to destroy Shimei who had cursed him because he had humbled himself may we not count these Informers the Kings Enemies that seek the Destruction of these men who pray to God both in their Families and Assemblies to bless the King and Preach obedience to the King in all lawful things 3. In the multitude of People in the Kings honour but in the want of People is the Kings destruction Prov. 14.28 And therefore to Suppress Impoverish to force to flee out of the Nation so great a Part of the Kings Subjects as the Nonconformists are would be a diminishing of the People and so a diminution of the Kings Honour and Safety 3. It 's a Calumny raised by the adversaries of the Nonconformists to excite the Magistrates against them that they shall not be esteemed the Kings Friends if they do not suppress them For our Soveraign Lord the King hath been graciously pleased in several of his Declarations to testify unto his Kingdom that he hath a kindness for his Nonconforming Subjects as well as the rest of his Subjects And besides these there may be other demonstrations given that these Magistrates are true and real Friends to the King who do shelter the Nonconformists from the fury of the Informers and keep them from being persecuted for righteousness sake As 1. They are the Kings true and real Friends that uphold his throne and endeavour to establish his Throne for ever and this they do that deliver the oppressed and shew mercy to such as are under affliction Prov. 29.14 The King that faithfully judgeth the Poor his Throne shall be established for ever Prov. 20.28 Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by Mercy Who sheweth mercy he that Punisheth Men for Praying and Preaching or he that Spareth them 2. They are the Kings Friends that bring down the blessing of God upon the Kingdom and cause him to wax great and to be so feared by the Neighbour Nations that they make no War with him And this they do who encourage the faithful Preachers and Preaching of the word of God When the Preaching of the Word of God was encouraged in Jehoshaphats days there were such eminent Blessings came upon him and his Kingdom that he waxed great exceedingly and was feared of all the Lands round about and none of them durst make War with him 2 Chr. 17.8 9 10 11 12. And with them he sent Levites and Priests and they taught in Judah and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them and went about through all the Cities of Judah and taught the people and the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kindoms of the Lands that were round about Judah so that they made no War against Jehoshaphat And also some of the Philistins brought Jehoshaphat Presents and Tribute Silver The Arabians brought him Flocks And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly FINIS ERRATA'S PAge 14. l. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 29. l. 22. we think we do well p. 40. l. 4. 1 Sam. 12 23. l. 6. way p. 42. l. 18. 2 Kings 10.1 c. p. 55. l. 17. belly l. 46. 2 Ep. Joh. v. p. 56. l. 20. wallow p. 75. l. 33. overthrow l. 47. will ye p. 77. l. 5. spake l. last r. brake p. 78. l. 2. brake
commit a trespass in the accursed thing and wrath fell on all the Congregation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquity What was Achan's sin which brought wrath upon all the Congregation of Israel we find Achan himself confessing it to Joshuah Josh 7.20 21. Achan answered Joshuah and said Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babilonish garment and two hundred shekles of Silver and a wedge of Gold of fifty shekles weight then I covered them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent and the Silver under it The sin of these Informers seems to me equal if not greater and as likely to bring down wrath upon the Nation as Achan's sin and that for these Reasons 1. The men of Jericho were God's enemies and they and their substance were accursed of God Josh 6.17 The city shall be accursed even it and all that are therein But the righteous and all they have are blessed of the Lord Ps 3.8 Thy blessing is upon thy people not only their persons are blessed but their substance also Deut. 33.11 Bless Lord his substance See also Deut. 8.4 5. Now is it not as great a sin for these men to oppress God's friends who are the blessed of the Lord and to take away their substance which is under the blessing of God as it was for Achan to take away silver and gold and rayment from the men of Jericho which were God's enemies and both they and all that they had were under his curse 2. Achan committed his sin secretly he hid what he took in his tent Behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent He laboured to cover his sin but these men declare their sin as Sodom They are not afraid to sin openly in the sight of all men And the more openly and impudently a mans sin is committed the more provoking to God to send down his Judgments 3. Achan confessed his sin and thereby gave glory to the God of Israel Josh 7.20 These men glory in their shame and will not be brought to acknowledge their iniquity 4. Achan was punished for his trespass all Israel stoned him with stones and burnt his house with fire Josh 7.25 But these men are so far from being punished that they oft-times go away with a reward Another instance of a whole Nation suffering for the sin of one man we have in David's case David's numbring the people provoked God to send a Pestilence which in three days time slew seventy-thousand men 1 Chron. 21.2.7 And David said to Joab and to the Rulers of the People Go number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan and bring the number unto me that I may know it And God was displeased with this thing therefore he smote Israel v. 14. So the Lord sent Pestilence upon Israel and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men Let it be considered whether those Informers that go to the Assemblies of these men to take the names of those that worship God in order to the punishing them for their serving God do not sin in as high a degree as David did in the numbring the people For 1. The numbring of the people was not without a president for it was done by Moses at God's appointment in the second year after Israel came out of Egypt Num. 1 2. But to number mens names in order to punish them for being present then and where Prayer is made to God in the name of Jesus Christ and God's Word preached hath not been practised by any persons that have occurred to my observation in reading the holy Scriptures 2. David might have pretended better things to have excused his sin than these Informers have for their practice As by numbring the people he might see the accomplishment of God's promise who promised Abraham a great and numerous posterity and all the Generations from Abraham to David were but fourteen Generations Matt. 1.17 Now that there should be a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men that drew sword and four hundred threescore and ten thousand in Judah beside Levi and Benjamin that were not numbred 2 Chron. 21.5.6 When David heard this great number he might have made this use of it what a demonstration is here of God's faithfulness and power that from one and him as good as dead should spring so great a multitude of men besides women and children Besides he might have said what cause have I to be thankful to God that hath put such honour upon me to make me a King of such a numerous people For in the multitude of people is the Kings honour Prov. 14.28 He might also judge it a point of prudence conducing to his credit and his peoples safety to know his strength that having so many potent enemies on every side he might judge when and with whom to make War and Peace as it becomes a wise and wary Prince to do Luk. 14.31 But these things did not excuse David from sin God saw an irregularity in David whether it were pride or curiosity or neglecting the offering that was prescribed when the people was numbred Num. 12.13 14. I shall not determine 3. David was troubled in conscience for his sin and made an humble confession of it to God 2 Sam. 24.10 And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly But we hear of no remorse from these men 4. David offended but once in this kind but these men go on in their evil way and often renew their sin 5. David when convinced of his sin was willing to have suffered death so that God would not proceed to punish Israel for his sin 2 Sam. 24.17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel that smote the people and said Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these sheep what have they done Let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my father's house Whereby it is evident that he had no evil design upon the people when he caused them to be numbred But these men that go to these Assemblies to take names and watch them as they come forth in order to the getting them to be punished make it manifest that they have a design upon them to do evil to them 2. The actings of these Informers are prejudicial to the whole Kingdom because righteous men are the strength of a Nation and are blessings to the places where they live Zech. 12.5 The governours of Judah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Prov. 11.11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted When Elisha was
dying Joash the King of Israel wept over him and said My Father my Father the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof 2 King 13.14 Intimating that Elisha by his Prayers was a greater security and protection to Israel than all the chariots and horsemen that were in Israel Now if righteous men are blessings to a Nation if they are the strength and security of a Nation the persecuting and afflicting them must needs be prejudicial to a Nations welfare 3. The persecuting these men weakens the Protestant and strengthens the Popish interest in this Nation For these men both in their Preaching and Writing have appeared eminently against the Popish Doctrine and it 's not long since that we were called both by the King and Parliament to humble our selves by fasting for the growth of Popery in the Nation And that which weakens the Protestant and strengthens the Papal interest must be acknowledged to be prejudicial to the Nation by all that are well affected to the Protestant Religion 12. The Informers are guilty of smiting their fellow-servants and that is a provoking sin when a man without just cause shall smite his fellow-servant especially if he smite him for doing his Master's work Matt. 24.48 49 50 51. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth I would mind the Informers of several things from this Scripture which do nearly concern them 1. These are in God's account evil servants that smite their fellow-servants without a cause If that evil servant smite his fellow-servant 2. God usually gives up such as smite their fellow-servants to sensuality that they prove sottish persons companions of Drunkards Smite his fellow-servant and eat and drink with the drunken 3. Smiting fellow-servants brings swift and unexpected destruction The swiftness of the judgment is implyed in that God takes men oftimes in the beginning of their sin And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants The unexpectedness of the Judgment in that sometime he does not give a days no not an hours warning The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that the looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of 4. Utter destruction will be the portion of such as smite their fellow-servants And shall cut him a-sunder If a man be cut and slash'd in his body he may be healed of his wounds but if he be cut asunder he is destroyed without remedy 5. Such as smite their fellow-servants shall have their portion among hypocrites in the bottomless pit where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And shall appoint him his portion with hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth And why with hypocrites It is either because whatever pretences such may make of zeal they are but hypocrites in God's account that smite their fellow-servants or it is because of all men hypocrites shall have the greatest portion of torment in the other world as being the chiefest of sinners in Is 33.14 If they reply This Scripture doth not concern us Informers but such as have power in Church or State and abuse their power to the vexing of their fellow servants Ans I grant that Grotius expoundeth this place of Pastors who do either themselves or who stir up Magistrates to vex and deal cruelly with other Ministers and Christians for reproving them for their corrupt opinions or sinful lives or for differing from them in some circumstantial things 2. If it be taken in this sense yet it will reach the Informers for like sins shall have like judgments If Superiors for abusing their power shall be so sorely punished then these Informers who are Inferiour persons must not think to escape the Judgment of God while they incense the Magistrate to vex and molest those that are faithful and peaceable only they differ from others in some circumstantial and disputable things CHAP. III. The Informer's Pleas answered Plea 1. IF we did know or think that these were righteous men we would not persecute them to gain the whole world but we look upon them as Phanaticks Factious persons Schismaticks Pestilent fellows Seducers of the people Troublers of the Nation yea the very worst sort of men and therefore we do think we well to persecute them and do what lyeth in our power to suppress them Ans 1. This was the same way which the Jews used to persecute the Prophets Jesus Christ and his Apostles they said all manner of evil against them falsely and then persecuted them not as righteous men but as evil doers Matt. 5.11.12 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you So persecuted they the Prophets How By reviling them and speaking all manner of evil against them falsly and persecuting them under the notion of evil doers and not as righteous men The Jews would not own that they stoned Christ for righteousness sake or any of his good works but gave out that he was a blasphemer and they stoned him for blasphemy Joh. 10.33 The Jews answered him and said For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy because thou being a man makest thy self God 2. When you have spoken all the evil you can of these Ministers that are called Non-conformists you cannot say worse of them than the Jews spake of the Prophets and the Apostles and our Lord Jesus Christ himself yet not only Jesus Christ but the Prophets and Apostles were righteous men Do you look upon these Ministers to be Phanaticks or Mad-men So Paul was censured as a mad-man Act. 26 24. Paul thou art beside thy self much learning hath made thee mad Yea the Jews thought and said Christ was mad and gave out that the Devil was in him and wondred that any would go to hear him Joh. 10.20 Many of them said He is mad and hath a Devil why hear ye him Do you question the authority of these Ministers to Preach the Gospel So did the Jews question Christ's Matt. 21.23 And when he was come into the Temple the chief Priests and Elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching and said By what authority doest thou these things and who gave thee this authority Will you not believe these men to be true Ministers of Christ So it was with the Jews they would not believe Jeremiah to be a Prophet of the Lord but thought he made himself a Prophet We find Shemaiah writing thus to Zephaniah Jer. 29.26 27. The