pomp and state and of our great and princelike houses housholds and revenues that so we may be made equall and conformable to the ministers of Christ and then we shal have both hope and comfort of the world to come although but little in this except your Majesty and Parliament do grant free liberty of conscience the which wee now doe also with the poor distressed christians most humbly intreat and desire and that for these foure reasons First because thereby the gospel of Christ will be set free and at liberty whereby all people both Iews and Gentiles wil be gathered to the apostolick faith church and discipline Secondly because many of your Majesties subjects both men and women who now are forced to dissemble their Religion for fear of our persecution will be released and set free from their spirituall bondage and slavery wherein we now doe hold them against their consciences and so they will become more faitfull Christians to God and more loyall subjects to your Majesty then ever they were before to the salvation of their soules and the safety of the Crown and State Thirdly because the poore distressed Christians how banished and dispersed out of their Fatherland over the face of the earth will bee redeemed from great misery and bondage wherein now no doubt they live and abide because they will not bee in bondage to any other spirituall Lord or bead then the Lord Iesus Messiah alone whose faith and discipline they desire onely to learne and obey Fourthly because thereby great benefit and commodity will redound both to your Majesty and to all your subjects within your Highness dominions by the great commerce in trade and trafick both of Iewes and all people which now for want of liberty of conscience are forced and driven elswhere and also from the revenues and livings which we and our Clergy doe possesse and from the Courts and offices we hold and keep greats profit and commodity will redound both to your Highnesse and to all your kingdoms we say more profit and commodity then we or any man is able to expresse And therefore we also desire all his Majesties subjects hath great and small in all love and feare of God not to be offended or any way moved or grieved Too great is the ods to use the sword against Gods Word when they shall see such aâ—d formation of us as that famous King Henry the eight did make of our lordly brethren the Abbots and their Clergy For indeed such a reformation ought to come among us and our Clergy seeing we are no way agreeable to the new Testament of the onely spirituall Lord Iesus Messiah but are limbs and fellow members of that Antichristian and Romish church which in the scriptures is Prophecyed to be abolished and destroyed Now therefore we pray you all let not King David say the sons of Zerviah are too strong for him for that will be unprofitable for you all And for conclusion we entreat his Majesty and Parliament to enact that as our adversaries come against us onely with the word of God so we go against them onely with the word of God and nor as we have done by civill authority for so our selves may be forced to dissemble Thus it may be the Lord will perswade and work in the hearts of some of the Bishops who will willingly resign their Antichristian titles and Popish pomp and state with their princelike houses and livings into the hands of the King without any compulsion or constraint But if they do not yet if it please God to open the Kings heart to see their Antichristian and Idol estate the danger and damage they cause both to the King Prince people they will be compelled thereto even as their lordly brethren the Abbots in King Henry's days were The Bps. greater Idols then the Abbots images or golden calf And howsoever it be not regarded or perhaps not discerned yet in the sight of God and his people they are greater Idols then their lordly brethren the Abbots yea greater Idols then the images of wood and stone which that famous and godly King Edward did pul down and destroy for they did not imprison nor burn nor hang nor yet cause to bee banished any of the Kings subjects thus would not worship them as these Idol-bishops do and out of doubt these Bishops are greater Idols then the golden Calfe Airon made and offered unto for the Calf did not persecute nor vex such as did not acknowledge it for their Lord as the Bishops doe neither did the Calf reign and rule by force over the consciences of the people as these Idol-bishops doe Besides the Calf was set up in stead of Moses who brought the people out of Egypt Ex. 32.1 7. What greater idolatry then to obey other spirituall Lords then the Lord Iesus and shewed them the will of God but these Bishops are set up in stead of Christ who have brought us out of the bondage of hel and who sheweth us his Fathers will in his new Testament the which these Idol-bishops will not suffer us to obey but in stead thereof will force us to fal down worship and obey their father Antichrists wil and old testament which stinks in the nostrills of all reformed strangers that hear thereof as well as in ours that have taken our flight from it Therefore these spirituall lords and Idol-bishops ought to be pulled down and suppressed 2 Kings 23 17.20 like the Abbots their lordly brethren though not sacrificed unto the Lord in Smithfield as the godly King Josias sacrificed the Idol-priests of the high places on the Altars thereof And I do verily beleeve that if free liberty of conscience be granted that the spiritual kingdom of these Idol-bishops will in time fall to the ground of it self 1 Sam. 5.3 as the Idol Dagon fell before the Ark for through the knowledge of Gods word will all godly people withdraw themselves in all peaceable and godly wife from the spirituall obedience of these spirituall Lords and Idol-bishops and quietly betake themselves unto the obedience of the only spiritual Lord Iesus Messiah But howsoever it be I shall be contented therewith and so I wish aâ—l others for we all ought to be content if we obtain liberty of conscience and therefore to give God praise continually that hath wrought so blessed a work in the hearts of the King and Parliament for whom as the Scripture teacheth wee ought to make supplications 1 Tit. 2.1.2 prayers and intercessions that they may come to the knowledge of the truth and that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty And unto whom we ought to give by the law of God all earthly honour Ro. 13.1.7 fear and reverence and willingly to pay tribute and custome tax and toll so much and so often as it shall please his Majesty and Parliament to appoint and gather by any officer or officers
THis usefull Treatise Entituled Religions Peace long since Presented by a Citizen of London to King JAMES and the High Court of Parliament then sitting I allow to be Reprinted Aprill 1. John Bachiler RELIGIONS PEACE OR A PLEA for Liberty of Conscience Long since presented to King James and the High Court of Parliament then sitting by Leonard Busher Citizen of London and Printed in the Yeare 1614. Wherein is contained certain Reasons against Persecution for Religion Also a designe for a peaceable reconciling of those that differ in opinion Rom. 14.5 10. One man esteemeth one day above another another man esteemeth every day a like let every man be fully perswaded in his own minde But why dost thou judge thy brother or why dost thou despise thy brother for we shall all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ LONDON Printed for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-alley 1646. TO THE Presbyterian Reader THis Treatise which as a supplication to King James and the Parliament was Printed in the yeare 1614. is for your good now againe re-printed the Author thereof Leonard Busher an honest and godly Man as I make no doubt will appeare to you in the perusall of his Booke intended two things therein First to make it appeare that the Bishops were not true Ministers or successive from the Apostles but rather a Siens or branch of the Popish stocke descended from the Romish Hierarchy to whom they owned their Instauration Ordination and Function Had this advice been believed and embraced by the Parliament then the mischiefes they have since practised much of the blood that hath been shed and the miseries that by their meanes have been brought upon us had in great measure been prevented but his Counsell was then slighted though by the wisdome of this present Parliament put in execution whereby we are secured for the future from the domination compulsion against Conscience and notorious cruelties of that sort of men Whence we may learne that what to a people at one time seemes strange and absurd and in no wise to be admitted of at another time appeares an acceptable truth the reason is because wee are not Masters of our owne understandings but suffer them to bee dull'd and corrupted till misery and the sting of oppression opens our eyes so that we embrace truth more out of necessity then choice The second thing his Discourse drives at is to make it appeare by Scriptures and sound Arguments that the onely way to make a Nation happy and preserve the People in love peace and tranquillity is to give liberty to all to serve God according as they are perswaded is most agreeable to his Word to speake write print peaceably and without molestation in behalf of their severall Tenets and wayes of Worship wholsome and pertinent Laws being made upon penalties to restrain all kinde of vice or violence all kinds of reproach slander or injury either by word or deed And though this advice likewise seemes not the best to some especially to you my Brethren in the Presbyterian way yet am I well assured that this Nation will never be happy but as hitherto it hath been so for the future it will be distracted with oppression and persecution and the faces of one sort of men set against another till liberty of Conscience be allowed Indeed a man would thinke we had beene school'd and whist long enough to it by our calamities for went whereof this age and that age and the other age and every age hath been miserable For want whereof the Apostles suffered martyrdome the Saints and godly of all times have been hunted like Patridges by birds of Prey And yet good men in the esteem of a great part of the world especially of the rich and powerfull they have suffered as evill-doers disturbers of the World Heretiques Schismaticks seditious Persons and those that put them to death have had the reputation of being maintainers of Truth and sound Doctrine so apt in all ages have the people been to mistake good for evill and evill for good The Plea for liberty of Conscience is no new Doctrine as old certainly as the blessed Word of God it selfe which gives us this unmovable foundation thereof That every Man should bee fully perswaded of the truth of that way wherein hee serves the Lord And though there has been struglings in all ages to make good this blessed birthright to all peacefull People yet through thePotency and subtlety of Popes Bishops and Ministers that preferred the advance of themselves and their usurped and abused Function before the good and welfare of the People we have been deprived of this blessing next to the manifestation of Gods love and goodnesse to us the most excellent and desirable in this world for want wherof and by means of its contrary Persecution this Vniverse esâ—ecially the Christian part thereof hath suffered continuall agony and earthquake Warres and its miseries have overspread all Lands States have been shaken and subverted Love meeknesse gentlenesse mercy the truest badges of Christianity have been dampned and banished and in their roomes cruelty hardheartednesse respect of Persons Prisons tortures c. things that our blessed Lord and Master and his Apostles never prov'd unlesse upon their own afflicted bodies have had great sway for these many hundred yeares Hence is it that in stead of Peace we have frequently had the Sword in stead of sweet tranquillity love and affection hatred contention disaffection and the bitter fruits thereof hath reign'd amongst us and in all probability will reigne till God shall put it into the heart of the Parliament to make tryall for prevention thereof of this God-like way which in the ensuing Treatise is held forth I hope upon perusall thereof you that are my Brethren of the Presbyterian way will abate much of your misguided eagernesse in prosecuting your conscientious Brethren Consider I beseech you St. Paul before his conversion he was as zealous I make no question as any of you when he persecuted the Saints and (a) Acts 8.3 made havock of the Church that is of Gods People congregated together to worship and serve God when hee (b) Verse 3. entred into every house and drew out both men and women to put them to Prison when he (c) Act. 9.1 breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord when he (d) Act. 9.2 procured Letters of the High Priest to goe to Damascus where if he found any of that way then the hereticall way in his account he might bring them downe to Hierusalem when he (e) Act. 8.1 consented to Stephens death In all these violent motions he was zealous and hearty and thought hee did God good service in the suppression of a rising Sect that were against the High Priests learned Rabbies and Doctors of the Law Ceremonies strict Injunctions and observations of the Judaicall and Priestly Law You see how farre mistaken zeale can goe Consider this I beseech
persecuted to death indeed some thereby are forced to confesse with the mouth that which they beleeve not in heart and so are made true dissemblers in stead of true Chistians wherby many men and women are deceived with dissembling husbands and wives as well as the King and State are deceived with dissembling servants and subjects but the word of God if permission of conscience might be granted would procure upright pure and unfained husbands and wives servants and subjects so that thereby neither Prince nor people should be deceived for all good shepherds wil divide and separate not force slay and persecute for if men and women be found Hereticks they shall be separated from the Church but if they be unbeleevers they shall not be joyned unto it untill they be converted by the word of God much lesse forced which conversion for ought we know may be at their death if not afore seeing the Lord calleth some at the eleventh houre so well as at the first Mat. 20. 6 7 and not at the King and Bishops pleasures Kings and Magistrates are to rule temporall affaires by the swords of their temporall kingdoms and Bishops and Ministers are to rule spirituall affaires by the word and spirit of God the sword of Christs spirituall kingdom and not to intermeddle one with anothers authority office and function and it is a great shame for the Bishops and Ministers not to be able to rule in their Church without the assistance of the King and Magistrate yea it is a great sign they are none of Christs Bishops and Ministers if they were they would not be afraid nor ashamed of their faith nor yet would they perswade Princes and people to persecute and force one another to beleeve them but would use only the assistance of Gods word and spirit and therewith suffer their faith and doctrine to be examined proved and disputed both by word and writing Tit. 1.7.9.11 And he is a true Bishop who is unreprovable and that is able to stop the mouths of his adversaries by Gods word and Spirit onely whose faith and discipline agree with the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and maketh no contradiction but all those Bishops that force Princes and peoples to receive their faith and discipline by persecution doe with Iudas goe against Christ in his members with swords staves and halberds who seeing Gods word will not help them betake themselves with all haste and hazard unto the authority of the King and Magistrate I read that a Bishop of Rome would have constrained a Turkish Emperor to the Christian faith unto whom the Emperor answered I beleeve that Christ was an excellent Prophet but he did never so far as I understand command that men should with the power of weapons bee constrained to beleeve his law and verily I also do force no man to beleeve Mahomets law Also I read that Iews Christians and Turks are tolerated in Constantinople and yet are peaceable though so contrary the one to the other If this he so how much more ought Christians not to force one another to Religion and how much more ought Christians to tolerate Christians when as the Turks do tolerate them shall we be lesse mercifull then the Turks or shall we learne the Turks to persecute Christians It is not onely unmercifull but unnaturall and abominable yea monstrous for one Christian to vex and destroy another for difference and questions of Religion and though tares have overgrown the wheate yet Christ will have them let alone till harvest Mat. 13.29.30 38. lest while you goe about to pluck up the tares you pluck up also the wheat with them as your predecessors have done who thought they had gathered up the tares and burned them but you see now that they have burned the wheat in stead of tares Wherfore in all humility and Christian modesty I doe affirm that through the unlawfull weed-hook of persecution which your predecessors have used and by your Majesty and Parliament is stil continued there is such a quantity of wheat plucked up and such a multitude of tares left behinde that the wheat which remain cannot yet appeare in any right visible congregation Acts 3.17 And now beloved Soveraign and Parliament I know that through ignorance you doe persecute as did also your predecessors Amend your lives therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord who before hath shewed by the month of his holy servant John Rev. 12.14 that the woman meaning the Church should fly into the wildernesse for a time times and half a time from the presence and persecution of the serpent And that the winepresse should bee troden without the City untill bloud came out of the winepresse unto the horse bridles Rev. 14.20 by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs and thus he hath fulfilled it Now therefore I humbly beseech you suffer not your Bishops and Ministers any longer to perswade to force your subjects or any others to their faith and Church by persecution neither suffer them therewith to defend their faith and Church against their adversaries if they have not any thing from Gods word against us let them yeeld and submit themselves if they think they have any thing against us let them betake themselves onely to Gods word both in word and writing 2 Tim. 3.16 For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God to that purpose and is profitable to teach to reprove to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect unto all good works with which scripture and not with fire and sword your Majesties Bishops and Ministers ought to be armed and weaponed Mat. 10.14 15. Mat. 16.11 and whosoever shall not heare the words of such Bishops and Ministers then such Bishops Ministers are commanded by Christ not to imprison burn banish hang them but to shake the dust of their feet against them for a witnesse when they depart from them Act. 13.51 affirming that at the day of judgment it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah then for such persons and this commandement of Christ did his Bishops and Ministers obey as you may read By which and by that which follow your gracious Maty and Princely and honorable Parliament may perceive the will and mind of our Lord and Saviour Christ unto whose mercy I commend you and to the word and wisdom of his grace which is able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Amen Your faithfull and loving subject Leonard Busher not Furbusher There is one Furbusher a preacher in this Land Certain Reasons against Persecution FIrst because Christ hath not commanded any King Bishop or Minister to persecute the people for difference and judgement in matter of Religion Secondly because Christ hath commanded
Antichrist from whom they are descended and succeeded both lineally and of great antiquity Mystically Wherefore I humbly beseech the King and Parliament that you will betimes listen unto the holy spirit in the mouth of the prophet which saith Psal 2.10 Be wise now therefore ye Kings be learned or instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord in feare and rejoice in trembling kisse the Son of God lest hee be angry and ye perish in the way of persecution when his wrath shall suddenly burn Let not therefore the Kings of the earth band themselves with the Bishops and Ministers of Antichrist Psal 2. â— 3. 1 Ioh. 2.20 Rev. 17.14 nor Princes assemble themselves together against the Lord and against his amointed that is against Christ and his Church seeing both he and she break your bands and east your cords from them Rev. 12.11 Yea her seed overcommeth you by the bloud of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives unto death Beware then in time lest you offend any more of these little ones that beleeve in Christ seeing Christ saith it were better to have a milstone hanged about the neck Matth. 18.6.10 and drowned in the depth of the Sea then so to do He meaneth that it were better for you to lose your lives then any way to consent to the offence of such little ones that beleeve in Christ See then I pray that they be not despised burned banished hanged and imprisoned For their Angels alwaies behold the face of Christs Father in heaven and remember he saith Matth. 10.38 39. Matth. 11.35.36 the tree is known by his fruit but persecuting of Christians is an evill fruit And that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things but persecuting of christians is no good thing and that for every idle word men shall speake they shall give accounts at the last day of judgements How much more for every wicked and cruel deed of persecution as burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of those that confesse with the mouth Rom. 10.9 and beleeve with the heart the Lord Iesus and that God raised him from the dead whose laws and ordinances they are carefull to keepe and obey Christ saith that such shall be saved and yet you feare not to burn banish hang and imprison such But if you beleeve that God will avenge his elect Luk 18.9 beware of persecuting his servants that cal on his name specially such as witnesse his truth against the abominations of Antichrist Suffer not your Bishops to destroy those men and women that strive to serve God according to his will in his word Be not your Bishops executioners in burning banishing hanging and imprisoning of harmlesse and peaceable Christians but let them enjoy freedom of the gospel and liberty of conscience that so the apostolick Church which is scattered and driven into the wildernesse and desart of this world may be againe gathered together both of Jews and Gentiles into visible and stablished congregations 2 Thes â— 8 And that the Catholick and universall Church of Antichrist may bee consumed and abolished by his word and spirit as the holy Apostle hath foretold even the uttermost of his arrivall which is the Emperiall and triple Crowne I pray the Lord to give such grace the Sea of Rome may ebbe apate through the triple sea of Rome And again I humbly intreat the King and Parliament to vouchsafe to heare me with patience yet a little further If freedom of the Gospel and permission of conscience might be granted then would not Papists nor any others dissemble their religion to the dishonor of God the destruction of their souls and to the great danger both of King and State seeing they are forced to Church against their consciences may not Popish Priests and Jesuites unawares to the Bishops become the Bishops Ministers seeing the change of their Religion and religious habit differ so little and so by degrees infect the people with more Popish doctrine as occasion shall be Nota. From Popes submission there is great suspition And such men will readily embrace the Bishops Orders and so they shall readily have the Bishops favours by which means they may more easily and speedily have accesse unto the Court and presence of the King and Prince which indeed is very dangerous howsoever not regarded Therefore I doe according to my duty humbly advise his Majesty not to beutifie his Court and presence with any popish stones not with one though it be of Alablaster But permission of conscience and freedom and liberty of the Gospel will no way be dangerous to the King or State if such like rules as these be observed 1. That no people tainted with treason doe beare any office 2. That all sorts of people tainted with treason do at all times from home weare a black hat with two white signs the one before 1 Kin. 2.36 41 42. Rom. 13 1. to 5. the other behind in open sight 3. That no people tainted with treason approach within ten miles of the Court without licence 4. That no people tainted with treason do inhabit the City of London nor yet within ten miles thereof 5. That none tainted with treason do make any assembly or congregation 6. That no person or persons in whatsoever difference by reasoning or disputing do draw any weapon nor give any blow stroke or push in paine and penalty as his Majesty and Parliament thinke meet 7. That for the more peace and quietnes and for the satisfying of the weak and simple among so many persons differing in Religion it bee lawfull for every person or persons yea Jewes and Papists to write dispute confer and reason print and publish any matter touching Religion either for or against whomsoever always provided they alledge no Fathers for proof of any point of religion 2 Tim. 2.24 25 Iames 3.17 but only the holy Scriptures neither yet to reproach or slander one another nor any other person or persons but with all love gentleness and peaceableness informe one another to the glory of God honor of the King and State and to their own good and credit Note A true signe of false Bishops and Ministers by which means both few errors and few books wil be written and printed seeing all false Ministers and most people have little or nothing else besides the Fathers to build their religion and doctrine upon or if it be once stablished by law that none shall confirm their religion and doctrine by the Fathers and by prisons burning and banishing c. but by the holy Scriptures then error will not be written nor disputed except by obstinate persons feared consciences seeing the word of God will be no shelter for any error Yea I know by experience among the people called Brownists that a Man shal not draw them to write though they be desired
for one of their preachers called Mast Rob. hath had a writing of mine in his hands above six moneths Now above 12 months and as yet I can get no answer it seemes hee knoweth not how better to hide his errors then by silence and this will bee the case of all false Bishops and Ministers Iohn 3.20 Iohn 3.10 who had rather be mute and dumb then to be drawn into the light with their errors Therefore permission of conscience and liberty of the gospel in our land of great Britain wil mightily further the advancement of the Apostolick faith and chiefly their bookes whereout sufficient matter will be drawn for the convincing of every particular Religion which is against the Religion stablished by Christ and his Apostles who by all meanes lawfull sought the conversion and salvation both of Jewes and Gentiles 1 Cor. 9.20.22 Act. 16.3 And they are unconstant and faith lesse men or at least very ignorant that think error will overcome and prevaile against the truth For the abolishing of such thoughts I desire such men to consider the mighty victory and prevailing of the truth in the time of Christ his Apostles which notwithstanding resisted and disputed against by the most part of the Priests and learned men both of Jewes and Gentiles yet overcame and prevailed against all the errors of the high Priests and great learnedmen both of the Jews and Gentiles and the Apostle faith we cannot do any thing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 but for the truth and seeing it is the same truth which all good men would embrace why should wee not hope the same victory by it Did not King Darius all the people both Iew and gentils cry out and say that truth is great and strongest 1 Esd 4.38.41 Why then should those that have the truth and those that would have the truth be afraid of error seeing truth discovereth dark and dangerous wayes of error though abroad in open books even as light discovereth dark and dangerous places though abroad in open high wayes And as the more darke and dangerous the wayes be the more necessary needfull will light be found of all that travel So the more darke and dangerous the errors be the more needfull and profitable wil truth be found of al that would travel to heaven But some may object and say let all this be granted yet it is no wisedom we think to bring dangerous errors into the light that so many men may stumble at them Which being not brought to light would not be so much as known to some I answer no more then a Rock that lyeth hid under water Answer which for want of bringing into the light many men may make Shipwrack there on and so stumble or fall neverthelesse though it be not so much as known to them before Therefore as a Rock in the Seas though not so much as known to some yet for want of being made known many men stumble and fal thereon and so perish both men and goods So an error though not so much as known to some yet for want of being made known many men may stumble and fall thereon and so perish both bodies and soules the which is more lamentable And as Rocks in the Seas the more they manifest themselves So errors in the world the more they manifest themselves the more furtherance in the way to heaven And you shall understand that errors being brought to the light of the word of God will vanish as darknes before the light of a torch even as the chaffe before the winde cannot stand so error before truth cannot abide therefore it is no hinderance but a great furtherance to have all erroneous Rocks in the haven to heaven made knowen and published And a great and sure argument it is Another true signe of false ministers that those Bishops and Ministers have not the truth that publikely dare not dispute or write against error as may be seene in the Bishops ministers in Queen Maries dayes which could not abide to have books written Printed of that which they called error and heresie but caused that if any such were written both them and the Authors to be burned if they could come by them Therefore if permission of conscience and libertie of the Gospel be not granted and burning lawes repealed then the Bishops ministers now may perswade and cause to be burned both the Books the Authors that have the truth instead of heresy and hereticks even as their predecessors have done already The Word of God the onely defender of the faith of Christ and so shed more innocent bloud and also provoke the Lord to further wrath against the King and State It is not the gallowes nor the prisons nor burning nor banishing that can defend the Apostolick faith indeed the King and State may defend Religions peace by their sword civil power but not the faith otherwise then by the word and spirit of God The dutch Princes and Peeres say that force sword gallows in matter of religion is a good meanes to spil bloud and make an uprore in the land but not to bring any man from one faith to another The Pagans will not persecute one another for religion though as I read there be above three thousand sorts among them And you know both King Henry Queen Mary thought themselves defenders of the faith and though they burned hereticks and heresy when they burned Men and their books Idol Bishops and false Ministers authors of persecution Rev. 16.14 but now you see and must acknowledge that they were peesecutors of the faith instead of defenders therof and also that they through the instigation of their bloudy Bishops burned the word of God and those that professed and wrought it instead of heresy and hereticks And thus it will be now if the Bishops and their Ministers may have their wils and therein they as their predecessors fulfill the word of God in gathering Kings of the earth to the battell of the great day of God Almighty For they perswade Kings to force their subjects Rom. 10.14.17 to receive the faith and to be of the Church whereas the word of God teacheth otherwise saying Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and not by the Kings sword And Christ saith Teach of nations and not force all nations and this teaching is to be understood by the word and writing of the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Christ which is the Word of God For they that wil be of the true Faith and Church must be called thereunto out of the World by the Word of God in every nation and not forced and constrained in every nation as the Bishop of Rome and all other false Bishops and Ministers have and doe perswade Kings Emperors and Magistates And his Majesty and Parliament may please to understand that so to do Mat. 16. 16.
1 Thes 5.19 is to quench the Spirit of God in Christs Bishops and Ministers and also to frustrate the precept of Christ which saith Preach the Gospel to every creature Besides it maketh their one office function void they ought to preach and instruct with al meeknes them that are contrary minded proving if God at any time wil give them repentance 2 Tim. 2.24 25. that they may know the truth for the ministers of the Lord must not strive but be apt to teach gentle towards all men suffering evil men patiently telling Kings and Princes that the weapons of Christ Bishops and Ministers are not carnal as the weapons of all false Antichristian Bishops and Ministers are but Spiritual and mighty through God to cast downe holds casting downe every high thing 2 Cor. 10.3.5 that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Also if al within the land be forced to be of the church as the Bishops and their ministers would stil have it then there would be no world in the land but al the land would be the Church which is absurd contrary to the scriptures and great ignorance do the Bishops Rev. 11. â— Act. 2.41 47. Note Act. 2.47 their ministers shew when they think the whole nation of people is the church of Christ for then it cannot be said out of great Britaine the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved seeing within the land there would be none without to be added Also within that land A true Church wil not persecute Mat. 12.25 Rev. 18.2.8 1 Cor. 8.11.12 Luc. 10.3 Gen. 32.28 Rom. 13.4 there would be no persecution seeing the church of Christ doth not persecute at al much lesse it self but the Ministers and members of that Church do persecute one another and therefore it cannot be the spiritual Kingdome Church of Christ but of Antichrist seeing it is divided against it self and persecuteth one another and wil with her mother great Babilon be consumed and condemned seeing as she they burne banish hang and imprison one another which is no Christian but Antichristian monstrous cruel woolvish tyranous part and practise for Christ sent his Ministers as lambs among wolves and not as wolves among Lambs Againe I humbly and with al reverence do beseech his right excellent Majesty to give me leave to put him in minde of those things that do concern the glory of God the assurance of his owne salvation the stablishment of his throne the benefit both of the Church of Christ and the common wealth of al his Dominions And though as Josias he finde by reading in the booke of the New Testament a great alteration of the Apostolick faith change of the lawes ordinances of Christ within his Dominions Yet not to be dismayed as Henry Legrand but be encouraged as Josiah to labour endeavour the redresse thereof according to the minde of Christ in his New Testament And I doubt not but as Iacob the Patriarch prevailed with God men so shal Iacob the King prevails both with God men especially being his chief steward by his new testament Through the zealous reading whereof will be found that Antichrist the King of the Catholick faith discipline called the mystery of iniquity doth sit in the Temple of God even as the Scripture hath foretold 2 Tim. 2. 1 Tim 4. Rev. 7 15. 2 The. 2.8 Rev. 17.16.17 But it is to be noted that the Scripture hath also foretold of the consummation abolition of this antichrist the man of sin and his mistery of iniquity with the utmost of his arrival or highest top of dignity he is come unto and this shall be done by the spirit of the Lord in the much of his servants For when the words of God be fulfilled then shal the servants of the Lord prevaile by his word spirit with ten Kings that shal hate Câ—aled the Temple of God 2 Thes Rev. 17 1.1â—.18 Ioh. 16.2 and make the whore desolate which sitteth in the hearts and consciences of peoples multitudes nations and this whore is the woman called the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth meaning the church of Rome by her false faith and discipline which is so faâ—… setled in the hearts consciences of the Kings of the earth that they think they do God good service in killing burning his servants that do speak against her faith and diâ—cipline and that wil not buy any of her warâ—s that is Rev. 17.13 14. her Antichristian doctrines and ordinances But as she hath had her exaâ—tation and arrival to the height and dignity of the sea Empire of Rome by the love of kings who have given their power and authority unto her and who have fought for her against the Saints servants of Iesus So she shal have her consummation abolition from that height and dignity by the hatred of Kings who againe shall take their power and authority from her and therewith defend the peace and persons of the Saints and servants of Iesus and not for religions peace will use their power and authority against the bloudy persecution of Antichrist and al his bloudy Bishops and Ministers and so become nursing fathers unto the Church of Christ And as it hath pleased God to give his Majesty peace round about as he did unto King Cyrus in whose dayes the material Temple began to be repaired which was a figure of the spiritual temple So I pray it may please him also in the peaceable dayes of King James to begin to repaire the spiritual Temple the Apostolick church scattered and driven abroad into the wildernes of this world Esa 2.4 Ezra 4.7 Ha. 24.10 whose calling and gathering together must be by the preaching of the word of God both to Jewes and Gentils and not by the sword of the Kings of the earth as Antichrist's and his Ministers have now along time perswaded prevailed whereby not onely the Jewes and infidels but also papists and other false Christians are hindred and deprived from the knowledge of the Apostolick faith And it is to be noted that David might not build Gods Temple because he had spilt much blood which sheweth no blood ought to be spilt for the building of the spirituall temple 1. Chro. 28.3 Ergo peace in religion is a good meanes to make a unity of religion among so many Christian sects Exod. 25.2 and 35.5 Act 2.40.41 Mat. 28 And it is wel worthy consideration that as in the time of the old Testament the lord would not have his offerings by constraint but of every man whose heart gave it freely so now in time of the gospel he will not have the people constrain'd but as many as receive the word gladly they are to be added to the church by baptism Mat. 16.16 Mat. 10.11 14. and
Sermons nor yet by their bookes which are full fraighted with false doctrines and confirmed and countenanced not onely by the Kings authority and power but also by wresting and false interpreting of the Scriptures and by alledging of popish Fathers which through the great ignorance of the people doe greatly prevaile btt then shall be abolished through the word and spirit of god his two witnesses in the mouth of his servants Rev. 11.3 and 19.10 who by word and writing shall breed such knowledge that none of wisedomes children shall be deceived Another reason why so many good people are now deceived is because we that have most truth are most persecuted and therefore most poore whereby we are unable to write and print as we would against the adversaries of the truth it is hard to get our daily food with the labors of our weak bodies and feeble hands how then should we have to defray other charges and to write and print I have through the help of god out of his word made a scourge of small cords 2 Pet. 2.2 wherewith Antichrist and his Ministers might be driven one of the Temple of God Also a declaration of certain false translations in the new Testament but I want wherewith to print and publish it therefore it must rest til the Lord see'th good to supply it It is the kings honor to search out a thing Prov. 25. Exod 3.6 In mean while I humbly intreat his Majesty and Parliament to give me leave to prove the Bishops with one question by which you may perceive the ignorance of your Bishops 't is this how they will bee able to prove a resurrection from these words I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Onely from these words will they prove the resurrection if they be the Bishops of Christ for he proved the resurrection from hence Luk. 20.27 The question is hard I grant but if their Lordships be not able to interpret it according to the meaning of Christ as I am sure they are not then it will be another cause very sufficient for their deprivation from their Lordly and idol offices and princely livings But because most men do wrest and mis-interpret the Scriptures some of wickednesse and some of ignorance for the utterance of their doctrines and so deceive both Prince and people I will shew how you shall perceive it lest thereby you still be deceived Every Scripture therfore mis-interpreted do make a contradiction As for example M. Iohnson one of the Preachers called Brownists to prove Rome a true church alledgeth 2 Thes 2.4 where the Apostle sheweth That the man of sin and son of perdition sitteth in the Temple of God which words Temple of God he interpreteth to be the church of God whereby he doth greatly erre for then such interpretation will contradict this scripture which saith 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church of God is the pillar and ground of truth But if the man of sin sitteth there Rev. 28.2 Rev. 18 4. then it is a hold of foul spirits a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird as the Scripture speaketh yea the pillar and ground of falshood and not of truth Neither would the Lord call his people out of her as he doth if it were the true Church Rev. 12.13 14. Also if the temple of God in that place be interpreted the church of God this foul absurdity and contradiction will follow viz. that the Church called the woman to whom were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wildernesse from her persecutors for a time times and half a time was not persecuted neither yet did sly into the wildernesse so long a time Neither yet was the Church called both woman and whore Re. 17.1 5. also great Babylon the mother of whoredoms and abominations of the earth drunken with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Iesus as the Scripture testifyeth Again if that be the church of God where the man of sin sitteth then the winepresse was not troden without but within the Church and so it also crosseth this Scripture which saith Rev. 14.20 the winepress was troden without the City so that blood came out unto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs Ergo a false interpretation Moreover we are not to understand the word Temple at all times to mean the Church for when Christ said destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up again did not mean the church nor yet the materiall Temple wherin he was but meant his body yet the Jews understood the word Temple otherwise even as Mr. Iohnson c doe here understand the word Temple otherwise then the bodies of peoples multitudes nations Rev. 17.5 and tongues which they ought not to doe Likewise Paul when he said If any man destroy the Temple of God him will God destroy did not mean the Church but the members of the Church So when he said the man of sin sitteth in the Temple of God he did not mean so much as the members of the church much lesse the church Therefore it must be understood that all those in whom the man of sin sitteth are called the Temple of God onely in respect that the Lord hath bought them for the Lord hath bought all men 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Joh. 2.2 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 7.23 Lev. 18.6 even the false teachers that deny him Therefore no man is his own in that respect but the Lords Also the Bishops themselves to prove brothers and sisters children may marry alledge Lev. 18. But that Scripture do not prove such marriages but the full contrary for it saith none shall come near to any of his kindred to uncover shame But brother and sisters children are kinsfolks Lev. 18.17 therefore they may not come near to uncover shame for that were wickednesse This they must confesse or else prove that brother and sisters children are not kinsfolks which they cannot seeing then brother and sisters children cannot call cozen and so all cozenship is blotted out by their doctrine for uncles and Aunts call their brothers and sisters child nephew neece Thus many Bishops and preachers do deceive Kings Princes and peoples by wresting and misinterpreting the Scripture Col. 2 8.1â— Therefore I earnestly desire your Majesty and Parliament to beware lest there be any man that spoyle you through Philosophy and vaine deceit through the Traditions of men according to the rudiments of the World and not after Christ 1 Tim. 6. â— 20 21. â— And to avoid profane and vain bablings and Antithesis or opposition falsly called learning which while some professe they have erred concerning the faith And now O King Prince and Parliament open your eyes and listen your eares unto compassion and mercy 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 5.45 Ver. 21 22. Lu. 18.7 8. 2 Thes 14.8 Jam. 1.5 6.