the World Will they not be meer Skeletons Shadowes and Carkases without those living Demonstrations and miraculous appearances of God from first to last with that wonderful and typical People Shall we still take the Lord Iesus by force to make him a temporal King and a temporal Iudge Christ Jesus not a temporal King when he peremptorily refuseth and proclaimes that his Kingdome is not of this World c. Will not this be as Iob there saith to deny the God that is above or as the Word seems to cary it the God descending who hath ascended but first descended God in Flesh and dwelt in Flesh of the Lord Iesus Bodily and established a spiritual Kingdom in the Consciences and Worships and Conversations of Men c. And however the Devil despairing to destroy the appearance of God in Flesh either in the Person of Christs humane body or in his mystical Body his Saints by three hundred years persecution hath taken the advantage by the shining of Peace and Favour to the Saints by Constantine to turn the very World it self Christian designing under the Masks and Flag of the Christian name to conceal his Serpentine malice to pure and true Christianity and to effect that by the Roman Popes the Foxes which he could never do by the Roman Lyons the Emperours Yet I ask Shall Gods people still inhabit Babilon or confusion and darkly confound all the most holy Gods people commanded to disobey the civil power in Sptrituals most wise distinct appearances of God together and not rather listen to the holy Spirit of God in that absolute prohibition Col. 2 Let no man judge you in meats and drinks c. that is upon any Spiritual account and Consideration albeit in Civil affaires we ought to be judged and submit to every Ordinance or Creation of man for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2. Thirdly Two kinder of Idolatry I ask as before Whether the Gospel-light hath not discovered unto us more clearly at least then ever the Old Testament did at twofold Idolatry First Religious which is in a word the fearing or Worshipping of false Deities or Gods or Godheads which all the Nations all the World over live in Secondly Moral Idolatry which is Idolatry in the Hearts and Lives of all mankinde according to that of Paul to the Ephesians and Covetousness which is Idolatry c. According to this Distinction how are all the Nations of the World even that which is called Christian also or'e-spread with these Idolatries Yea and in lamentably too great a measure how are Gods owne people reported at least in the moral sence to be Idolatrous c. For If Coveting of Gold and Silver House and Lands The over-spreaing of Idolatry in England and all Nations be Idolatry and consequently all covetous actions such as raking lying stealing c. are acts of Idolatry in a Gospel-sense Then consequently the goings out of the heart in other Sins Pride Self-love Ambition Whoredom are Idolatry also and all the Acts attending such motions and desires Acts of Idolatry also in all the Inhabitants of the World and then especially and more eminently or rather odiously in such as profess the name of Christ Iesus Oh what an object of the Iealousie of the most High is this Idolatrous Ball of the Earth and even that part above all others which pretends the name of the Son of God and which yet above all others cries out against Idolaters c. Fourthly As to the Light of Nature discovering Idolatry I ask First If there be not a wonderful mistake a fallacie and snare in the term of expression Light of Nature 'T is true The Nature of Gods Children is Light Gods people in a glorious state of Light Ephes 5. Ye are light in the Lord and Phil. 2. They shin as Lights God is a Sun and shield unto them Christ Jesus is a Sun of Righteousness shining on them The holy Scripture is a Light and Lanterne to them The words of the Prophets as a Light shining in a dark place until the Day-star Christ Iesus arise spiritually in their hearts They have glorious promises that the Light of the Moon shall be as the Light of the Sun and the Light of the Sun seven times brighter They expect that time when they shall need no more Candle nor Sun but the Lord God and the Lamb will be their Light and knowing that Light is sown for the Righteous they expect and shall assuredly reap the Harvest of Light to all Eternity But what is this to corrupt Nature Light of Nature in spiritual things but darkness to dark Nature You were not onely in darkness and children of the night but darkness it self Ephes 5. And if that which we call Light in men be Darkness as the Lord Iesus speaks how great is that Darkness But if it be said that Iob and Paul say that the Light of Nature discovers Idolatry I ask Whether Iob say so expresly or by any consequence which may not rather be counterbalanced another way Or if Iob should say so whether upon an equal dispensation when in those times corporal Judgements and in Gospel-times spiritual Judgements are proper as in this very Rom. 1. is abundantly testified It is true as Solomon saith The Spirit of a man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly It is an Excuser and an Accuser a Secretary a Sergeant an Adversary a Iudge an Executioner within the bosome of all mankinde But yet I ask What knowledg of God corrupt Nature may attain unto how far this Spirit of Man this Candle of Jehovah hath searched and doth or possibly may search into all the inward parts of the Belly or Hearts of man as touching this great mystery of true of false Deities and their respective Worships And I ask Where lies the Harmonie between these two Scriptures this of Rom. 2. When they knew God they glorified him not as God and that of 1 Cor. 1. The World by Wisdome knew not God And I ask If natural wisdome that Candle or Light remaining in man be not twofold Natural light twofold First That which is Common to all mankinde in general to the people the lowest the vulgar Secondly That which is more Noble and High The highest attainments of the highest sons of nature in spirituals in degrees refined and elevated by finer Animal Spirits by Education by Study by Observation by Experience And I ask Whether these highest Lights and greatest Candles can attaine by their utmost Activity to a true and saving and Gospel-knowledge even of God himselfe And therefore whether the place of Rom. 1. They knew God can amount unto more even in the Princes of natural knowledge Plato Seneca Aristotle c. but unto a confession of a Deity a Godhead above us in us about us an Invisible mighty power Creating Ruling Ordering all things as also a Conviction of Blessedness in the favour
Lev. 20. but that the Israel and people of God who are Nazarites or separated unto him from all the people of the World ought to touch no uncleanness and not onely to separate from Religious Idolatry All Gods people are separated unto himself but even to separate from and abhor that Moral Idolatry Covetousness and to hold no Spiritual Society with that man being calld a Saint or Brother who covets this Worlds goods which thing is not to be once named among the Saints Ephes 5. But fifthly I ask What is this to all the Nations of the World who as Nations are all parts of the World and lie faith Iohn in wickedness in Idolatries and Superstitions rolling and changing as Waves of the Sea in restless Lusts and Passions of all sorts c. Did not God wink at the Nations Act. 17. and is he not still pleased to wink at those numberless Nations of the World unto whom the sound of a Saviour reacheth not The State of all the numberless numbers of the Sons of men without Christ in the world How wonderful are the Dominions of the Grand Seigniour the Turkish Emperour and the mighty Empire of the Persians the great Mogul the Chinois the Tartars and the many millions of millions of the Sons and Daughters of Men who in all Ages and Nations pass on in outward Peace Prosperity and Glory amongst some of whom God may call some to fear him and love the Lord Iesus But for any of these whole Nations to be become Christians A National Church a fiction and not found in Christs Testament that is to be anointed with Christs Spirits I ask Whether such a thing be found in Christs Testament or be in experience true of the Body of this or any other Nation Sixthly Whatever be the pretence and mist which Satan casteth I ask with a famous observer once Lord Chancellour of England Whether all Violence in Religion be not for some sinister cause and Interest Jehu pretends and boasts Come see my zeal for the God of Israel c. He acted gloriously Magistrates act zealously for an Interest with wonderful Activity Impartiality and seeming Piety And yet I will visit the blood of Jehu saith the Lord Hos 1. for he took not heed with all his Heart c. For having got the Throne of Jeroboam to maintain that Throne and Crown he goes on in the sins of Jeroboam and kept up still the worship of the Calves which Jeroboam had set up What a wonderful noyse an sound have those three Greek names Idolatry Heresie Blasphemy The World scar'd by strange names made in the world to the scaring and affrightment of poor people in both Popish and Protestant Countries But let the Zeal of the most Zealous outcries be examined in plain English and let the Zealous even such as make profession of the most reformed National Ministeries in the most Reformed Churches I say lot the most Zealous impartially Examine and it shall be found that the Bottome and Root of the matter is a plain Merchandizing with the word of God and as it was in Rome and is Omnia Roma cum precis c a very Sale of Law and Gospel Moses and Christ Heaven and Hell God himself and the Soules of men I truely honour the many excellent Persons Ministers pretend zealously but for an Interest and the excellent Abilities both humane and Divine of many that have profest and do the Nations Ministery or Service I confess there is a due of Temporals to such as Minister Spirituals but withall I ask What is it but a Trade and Living but a Merchandising for gain when men profess they cannot without so much or so much preach Christ Jesus Surely the Apostacia hath been most wonderful and dreadful The maintenance of Christs true Ministers None can say but that the Lord Jesus did send out such Preachers of his Truth as did trust him and Lacked nothing who did as freely give as freely they had received who did labour spiritually and upon defect of supplies through the poverty or coldness of the Saints did labour with their own hands and other course for his Messengers in most infinite wisdom took he none nor will his true Ministers and Prophets desire he should and whatever other Prudential Images and Inventions are set up will he disclaim and judge when he appears in flaming fire c. What should be so free in the world What more free and yet what more bought and sold then light as divine and heavenly light and yet what is so frequently and so dearly sold as that Light I speak as to the external preaching of many holy Truths I shall desire to be corrected if Ierre in the Piety or Charity of the Question and ask If any man can possibly by rules of Christ Jesus profess a Ministenance to him and his Yea although he have so much Civility as not to make a Bargain for so much or so much yet if there be an implicite Expectation or Dependance upon such a Service or Ministery for a Salary maintenance c. I ask Whatever the Person Mercenary light his Gifts Experiences Light be whether is Calling and Standing be not as truely Mercenary and Unchristian as his that stands at the Corners of the Streets in dark Nights with ready lights and linkes offering to go with any call presuming on a pay and therefor his word is to every likely passenger Will you have a light Sir Lastly I ask Whether as the Lord Jesus speaks of false Prophets we any not discern false Doctrines Bloody fruits of a pretended holy Root Tenents and Opinions by the horrible fruits which this bitter Root hath brought forth to the slaughter of so many thousands and ten thousand times then thousand of mankinde Religiously and Zealously as it pretended hunting one another as wild Beasts Monsters Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers c. Yea And which may cause a Soul truly in love with Christ Iesus to tremble this above all other hath been that bloody Knife that hath so many thousand and then thousand times stab'd the Lord Iesus to the Heart in the bloody hunting of so many his Servants and Followers as the greatest Hereticks Blasphemers c. both in this and other Nations The sum of the fifteenth Question Whether the Examiner hath not set himself to confute Paul Quest 15 saying it is not easie to finde that the Heathen should not make a Graven Image nor any marvel that they should by the forme of some Creature represent him c. Whereas Paul proves that the Eternal power and Godhead are so manifest that they are without excuse who knowing God do not glorifie him as God c. but change the glory of God into an Image c. First Andsw I ask Whether the Proposer of these Questions expresseth not very little of that Christian Moderation The Examiner unchristianly dealt with and Equity and Equanimity of
such whose either consciences or necessities cannot permit them to practice that notorious Iudaism of Tythes The Nonconformers it 's true were sued and cast and paid but they were never so torn with the three-tooth'd Hook of Elies SOns the Treble da mages and oppressions I as therefore shat Grace what Godliness that is that teacheth us after all our our former sins and judgements and deliverances and vows to stop our Eares from the oppressed their Cries their Teares their Consciences and to imagine that our Commonweal our parliament our Counsel our Commonweal our parliament our Counsel our Army our Navy must prosper in our most knowne oppressings of Him whose is all power in Heaven and Earth the Son of God Christ Iesus The sum of the fourth Question Whether the Magistrate Quest 4 he not bound to love God and to advance his Glory true worship and service and the good of his people with all his might I ask Whether as before the Magistrate being the Civil officer of the People hath any Might Answ Authority or Power but what the People commit unto him And Whether any People will or can betrust such a Power to the civil magistrate to compel their Souls and consciences unto his Secondly Spiritual weapons and carnal compared Whether the Spirit of God speak not expresly that the Weapons of Christians are not Sword and Might but the Spirit and whether his Spiritual Weapons 2 Cor. 10. be not sufficiently and abundantly able and mighty to bring down every strong hold and every high thing and every imagination and thought to the obedience of Iesus Christ And Whether ever any carnal might ever did or can effect ought in Christianity but the storming of the Nations into an Antichristian Hypocrisie and Compliance Thirdly The woful effect of carnal weapons in Spirituals Whether this Principle of the Magistrates putting forth his carnal might in spirituals hath not constantly occasioned the Magistrate according to the mistakes of his owne conscience to promote Superstition and Idolatry And also hath rendred the strongest sword to be the measure and standard of all Religion in the World and the Magistrates thereof the Nimrods and mighty Hunters before the Lord Fourthly I ask Where Christ Iesus the onely Law-giver to Christians hath appointed in his holy Testament Christ Jesus not forgetful to furnish his kingdom with spiritual weapons the civil swrod the judge and defender of his Religion and Worship And why he hath not furnished his civil Magistrates of Iustice in the World with such hearts and spirits but contrarily hath call'd few of them to the profession of his Name And whether he hath not ever furnished and doth and will his spiritual Ministers and Messengers with spiritual might and power sufficiently and abundantly efficacious for the propagating of his holy Name and Truth and for the confounding of Antichrist and all Antichristians by the breath of his Mouth that two edged Sword of his Spirit Fifthly Whether Christianity did ever so flourish The sirst and last times of Constantine considered as when the people of God in the first 300 yers after Christ had no might but that of Christs spiritual weapons Ans when it pleased God to raise up Constantine to give some rest to his people from persecution whether Christianity did most flourish in the first time of Constantine when he with his Colleageue Licinius published the edict of Freedome of Religion to hissubjects or in his after-times when he compell'd all the World to Christianity but as is confest by many occasioned the World to put on the bare and empty name of Chrislian c. Lastly I ask Whether this Principle of the Magistrates employing the carnal sword or Might in spirituals The Carnal sword an Spirituats the occasion of so much bloodshed in former and in our late Wars have not in all Histories and Experience been the Firebrand which hath kindled such devouring flames of War about Religion in all both Popish and Protestant Countries And Whether it did not kindle our late Wars and occasion all the dreadfull Calamities between the Bishops and the Presbyters which proved fatal to the both And whether all these Experiences are not the voice of God out of the whirlwind to waken all the Magistrates of the World to keep within the Civil sphere of Civil Jurisdiction and Deminion The sum of the fifth Question Whether the people be not bound to pray for Magistrates Quest 5 that under them we may live a peaceable and quiet life in all Godliness and Honesty and whether the Magistrate is not bound to do that for which the People pray c. 1. I ask Answ Whether as some have urged these words godliness and honesty be rightly translated but rather upon a mistake in the Translation weakly made the ground for the Magistrates being the heeper of godliness in the first and honesty in the second Table 2. I ask The puring and pre-eminence the first Christian times To whom this direction of praying for Magistrates was given Whether they were not the first and purest Saints and those times the most glorious wherein the Saints enjoyed two such helps as no Christians ever since did First the presence of the holy Apostles or messengers of Christ Jesus amongst them Secondly the wonderful effusion of the holy Sourit of God in those rare and miraculous gifts and operations 1 Cor. 12. Now to imagine that those first Saints should pray for the Civil sword to defend I speak not of their persons but their godliness and suppress ungodliness c. doth it not imply this twofold strange and most unchristian Paradox First Two strange Paraderes that those Saints must imagine those Civil Magistrates to have a clearer sight in discerning and an higher Authority in judging of Godliness and Christianity then themselves and the Apostles of Christ Jesus who are call'd expresly the Ministerial Foundations of the Churches Fphes 2. Secondly That they being thus call'd of God and indued with the Spirit of God so savingly so miraculously yet should not be able to live in Godliness and the pure profession of Christ Jesus without the help of a carnal sword to preserve them pure establish and reform them c. Thirdly I ask therefore Whether the scope of the holy Exhortation be not this The scope of 1 Tim. 2. pray for Magistrates That those first Believers and all Believers in the Ages following should be much in prayer with God and not onely for themselves but for all men and especially for Magistrates the Chiefe of men 1. That such as were Gods Elect amongst them might be called 2. For the peace of the Nation and Cities wherein they lived and so consequently that God would gratiously guide the hearts of the Helms-men the Magistrates that the ships of the several states wherein the Saints as Passengers were imbarqued might Sail in peace and safety that in the peace thereof they might have peace according to the
and Paul the Tent-maker Further I ask Whether that Rule be not constant in the Christian Profession Not many Wise not many Noble not many Mighty And therefore Whether it be not against the purpose and designe of God and aaginst his declared will and course that his Servants should expect many Christian great or noble persons many Christian wife or learned men many Christian mighty men either for wealth or valour many Christian magistrates c. Hence though we finde the Saints in Caesars houshold Phil. 4. yet I ask How many Caesars Masters of those houshoulds do we finde believing in lesus for three hundred years together and therefore shether the poorest Saint in the Houshold or Court of these Caesars were not higher in Spiritual and Christian respects then those Emper ours of the World themselves Thirdly A true Christian who What is it that makes a Christian but the Spirit of Christ in a person manifested in the profession of his Name before the World Mat. 16. Rom 10. And if so I ask Whether that more of the Grace and knowledge of Christ render not persons more and more eminent and glorious in Christianity And consequently Whether the poorest Subject or Servant participating of more of the Grace and spirit of Christ be not invested with more of the Authority and Power of Christ Iesus What Christions the highnest in his affaires and Kingdome then the highest Magrstrates or Superiours that are not so indowed According to that Honour of all his Saints who especially bind Kings in chains c. And that charge from Heaven Iames 2.1 My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Iesus with respect of persons a Scripture that being read out in the following words seems at first blush to intrench upon civility and good manners except it be granted this in Christianity the greatest respect is not given to greatness of Place Birth Wealth Autherity Braverie c. but to the greatness of Humility and Grace of Christ according to that of the Lord Iesus Match 18. Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven We read of two mighty Princes professing the name of Christ meeting together in England Charles the Fifthe Emperour of Germany Two mighty Princes pretending to glorious Hights in Christianity and Henry the Eighth of England Their names then soar'd so high for Christianity that they were both in Letters of Gold set upon the very Gates of Guildhal in London Carolus Defensor Ecclesiae Henricus Fidei yet when Luther or the poorest follower of the truth of Christ iesus witnessed by Luther were condemned and persecuted by that Charles the Fifth the great defender of the Church I ask Who had the greatest Authority in Christs affaires the great Emperous Charles or the poorest true Christian Yet the poorest witness of any truth of Christ Jesus above them And when that glorious pretended Defendour of the Faith Henry the Eighth with all his Nobles and Bishops sat in person with so much Glory and Majesty Terrour and Authority in that famous Disputation and Condemnation of that faithful witness of Christ Iesus Iohn Lambert I ask where was in truth the true Autority and power of Christ Iesus Whether in the stately assembly of Kings Nobles and Bishops or in the two-edged Sword of the Word and Spirit of God in the mouth of that one single and yet most faithful witness of Christ Iesus Nay further I ask The Authority of reproving in the name of Christ If that rule of Christ Iesus Luk. 17. be not yet in force If thy Brother sin against thee reprove him if he repent for give him Consequently Whether a Magistrate eminent in the grace and knowledge of Christ yet if a Brother in Christ be not to be reproved for sIn by his lowest Groom or handmaid and that by way of Authority in hte Name of Christ Jesus Yea and I add Whether have not such inferiour persOns Authority from Christ upon Repentance to grant a true pardon to such a magistrates penitent Soul then all the Popes and Priests in the World can affoard him And in case of final obstinacy contradicting and blaspheming I ask Whether such a poor Believer in Christ Jesus hath not a power and priviledge to separate from such a Magistrate in spiritual respects and refuse to touch Spiritually sUch a Spiritually unclean person The sum of the seventh Question Whether Artaxerxes and the K. of Nineveh Quest 7 did well in making their decrees c. I ask Answ Whether these two Kings and the Instances be not ill coupled for the one Artaxerxes Ezra 7. gave free liberty of conscience to the Iewes Artaxerxes his decree examined whereas the King of Nineveh forced all his people to a positive Act of Fasting But more particularly as to Artaxerxes 1. Was not an Idolatrous King A Terror of God sometimes causeth dilaters to favour Gods people a stranger from the God of Israel one that held the people of God in slavery one that had no true love to the God of Israel nor his people but onely out of a fear of the wrath of the God of Israel she wed favour to his people granted them free liberty of their conscience to go up to Ierusalem to worship 2. He bountifully incouraged and assisted them 3. He furnished them with a Decree suiting to their National Estate and mixt condition of Church and Comonweal But Secondly I ask Did this Artaxerxes compel any of these Iewes to his owne Religion which he believed to be the onely true the Religion of the Persians Or did he compel the Persians to the worship of the God of Israel Or did he compel the Iewes themselves or any one man of them to go up to the worship of their owne God at ierusalem but verse 13. Let all which are minded of their owne free will go up c. Therefore Thirdly I ask Artaxerxes his edict freely made for soul freedom What Conclusion can be gathered from thence but that it sometime pleaseth God to affect the hearts of Idolatrous Kings with kindness to his people and forceth them to permit his people the liberty of their consciences yea and that with Countenance Incouragements and Authority for which mercy although the Nations where they live and the Princes thereof partake not of such mercies themselves yet ought Gods people to praise God as Ezra doth Fourthly I ask Whether this Instance of Artaxerxes do not absolutely condemn the forcing of all the people and consciences in a Nation to one way of worship whether Popish or Protestant or to any particular sect or way of either of them And Whether it do not absolutely make for Soul-Freedom in spiritual matters in that these very Iewes were not forced to their own Ierusalem but as every one was freely willing c. Secondly As to the proclamation of the King of Nineveh First I ask Whether all
onely which is not controverted but even in the matters of Religion and Spiritual Covenant of Conscience in Gods Worship c. If these Questions are built upon these grounds I ask if these Roots be found rotten and withered what can be lookt for on the Branches Thirdly I ask How can it be avoided but that one of these two Consequences must be granted Either First If Magistrates as Magistrates The dangerous hanging or suspending Magistrates be keepers of both Tables then must they keep them and interpret them and determine Controversies about Religion by those Eyes and by that Eye-sight which they have in Religions and heavenly things be it Pagan or Turkish or Popish or Protestant Or else secondly they must flie to Master Cottons refuge of suspending or hanging up all the Magistrates in the World from acting in Spirituals The rooting up of all Societies out of the World if they see not the true and onely way of Worship and that for all the daies of their life except God give them Repentance and reveal the true and onely way unto them And I add and ask Whether this Doctrine incline not strongly to these two more justly exploded dangerous Consequences First That as no Magistrate must act in Spirituals but such as are of the pretended true which every Sect is prone to plead to be his and Magistrates many thousands and ten thousands must be hanged up as above said yea and hanged outright for want of those Essential and Fundamental Qualifications which may inable him to discharge the principal end of his Office so neither may the People which are the Original and Fountain of Goverment lawfully combine and live in civil Cohabitation or Societies but must live Barbarians or worse since that all the People and Nations of the World in this depraved state of mankinde are wholly void of heavenly understanding and can no more convey to their Magistrates any spiritual Authority or Power then a Dead man can appoint his Officers c. Secondly Protestant Jesuits If such Orthodox sound and right Magistrates chosen by the People come to be of another conscience perswasion and Worship true or or false ought they to be deposed c. and may not that Oxford Author who put forth that Book called the Puritan turn'd Jesuite and all that hold that principle of Magistrates being Custodes utrinsque Tabulae be forced to say that in this respect the Bishops were Jesuits the Presbyterians are Jesuits the Inderendants are Jesuits and hold that dangerous Doctrine of deposing haeretical Magistrates c. Lastly Strange violence to childrens and Parents consciences As to the Question from the New Testament Ephes 5.4 Fathers provoke not your children in wrath but bring them up in the Instruction and admonition of the Lord may not he do this except he force them to his owne conscience and Worship And I ask further if it followes not that if the child by some providence of God as sometimes it falls out become Superiour and Magistrate to the Parent The child now being Father must force his Fathers Conscience according to that typical Example of Asa punishing his Mother Maachah for her Conscience Yea I ask how could it be avoided that by this Rule King Edward did well in forbidding his Sister Mary the use of her Conscience when he though younger was her Head and Mary though a woman yet now Head of the Church could not do other but forbid her Sister Elizabeth the use of her Protestant Prayers and Conscience also And therefore I ask Whether it followes not by this Rule that all Conscience and Religion in the whole world be not except we grant the monstrous suspension of almost all the Magistrates and Fathers in the world be not I say to be measured by the accidental turns of Superiority and the Civil Sword The sum of the thirtenth Question viz. Whether since Idolatry was punished by the light of Nature as Job acknowledged Quest 13 Job 31.28 the Magistrate ought not much more to punish it in the Gospel-light c. Answ First I ask As to that place in Iob Iob. 31.28 Examined Whether there be not many various Translations and Interpretations of this Scripture Doth not the Septuagint the Seventy interpret those words that were an Iniquity as we turn it to be punished by the Iudges I say the Seventh turn it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this would have been accounted judged or esteemed the greatest or a very great iniquity Others Quae est Iniquitas maxima which is the greatest or a very great Iniquity Others Etiam hoc futsset Iniquitas judicata For this had been a plain condemned or judged Iniquity 2. For Interpretation some interpret those words If I behold the sun when it shined or the moon walking in brightness to imply Iobs denying of his worshipping the Sun and Moon c. Some Metaphorically for being puft up with prosperity and success which tempts all men Gods people most apt in prosperity to deny him and even Gods People themselves as Agur confesseth to say unto God when they are full who is the Lord and to deny Him who is the Alpha and Omega the Author and Fountain c. of all their mercies And therefore I ask If it be not probable that Iob might sooner be tempted to that so pleasing a sin of applauding himself in the shining of the sun Heavenly and right-hand mercies and the brightness of the Moon left-hand and inferiour mercies then to be inticed to that gross and so palpable an Idolatry of worshiping the Sun and moon c. Secondly Grant that the beholding of the Sun and Moon by Iob and the secret inticement of his Heart and the kissing of his mouth c. relates to Idolatry in the very real and literal Worshiping of those Creatures grant that was Iniquity to be punished by the Iudges As also that Iob lived before Moses and acknowledged the Justice of such punishments all which particulars can be but probably disputed pro and con and therefore is not such a Building and Fabrick to be laid upon so uncertain a Groundsel and Foundation But admit all yea and further that the Gospel gives more light for the Discovery of the sinfulness and guilt â—f Idolatry Yet The dispensations of God both before and after Moses since both Moses and Iob also lived under such dispensations of National Covenants and Worships and before them of the Family-Covenants and Worships such as Abrahams Isaacks Iaccbs and the Patriarchs wherein the Fathers of Families and the elder brothers in a figurative Birthright of the first born carried on the figure Christ Iesus to come The Land of Canaan a none-such and typical as supream Heads and Governours in all causes as well ecclesiastical as Civil shall we now then in the bright light of the Sun of Righteousness the true King of Israel c. erect new Lands of Canaan in all the Nations of
and Banquet And because three are not onely Rivers of pleasures at the right hand of God but Rivers of Fire and Brimstone for the obstinate they knowing these Terrours of God perswade and pull and compel poor sinners as Brands from the everlasting Burnings c. The sum of the twentieth Question Whether those portions of Scripture Quest 20 that contain principles necessary to Salvation deserve to be call'd and despised by the name of Forms and whether the Examiner think fit upon the title of formes to despise the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Iesus Heb. 6. 2. Whether if the Examiner were ready to starve or sick neer Death he would refuse Bread or Physick because they came in Formes 1. I ask Answ Whether the Proposer of these Questions have fairly collected from any words of the Examiner in the quoted ninth Section that the Examiner doth call any Principle necessary to Salvation or despise them under the name of Formes or doth despise those Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. under the title of Formes or whether he do simply or without all due consideration contend against the Title or the substance of a Forme For can it be supposed Of outward Forms of worship that the Examiner should plead so much for the Light of the holy Scripture and the holy Spirit of God and yet to want that light of Reason as not to know that form a dat esse and although there are very intricate Disputes de formie internis externis and whence the forms of creatures are produced to imagine that any thing in the world should have a being much less the best and perfectest spiritual and heavenly things and be formless or that there should be so much visible Acknowledgements service or Worship of God left in the world as of the Word and Prayer which the Examiner is known to approve and practise without some form and order without which it must prove a Chaos a Babel and confusion Besides Several sorts of Forms pretending all to be Christs are not these his very words excepted against Do yet make so much of outward Forms as to force men to bow down to them In which doth there not fairly seem to be couched this double Assertion First That there are many sorts of outward forms Forms of Confessions Forms of Prayers Formes of Churches Formes of Discipline Formes of Worship c. Secondly That every Sect and Sort are wofully apt to force one another to bow down unto their owne most excellent waies and manners of which they severally and respectively are so and so perswaded And is not this most wofully and lamentably true in all Nations in all Religions in all Sects of all sorts now extant among our selves and upon all the Face of the whole Earth Secondly I ask Of doctrâ—â—â— necessary 〈◊〉 â—â—â—vation If the Proposer walk not upon a most dangerous Bridge whiles he disputes of Principles necessary to Salvation And indeed whether both Papist and Protestant are not both in the woods while they force whole Nations to believe many Doctrines necessary to Salvation and yet wind up all in one viz. to believe as the Church believes For if they prove but obedient Sons to the doctrine of their Mother the Church although they wholly want the Life and Spirit of God their pretended Father yet how have such Children been ten thousand times more accepted then such who cannot see nor live but by their owne Eyes and Faith and desire to taste to examine and try all things and to hold fast that onely which they are perswaded comes from God Againe Fundamentals of Religon notwithstanding several numbers of Fundamentals which others both Papists and Protestants are pleased to assert Yet I ask what we think of the short word of the Lord Iesus Mark 16. 16. He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved yea whether upon the point the first of these two be not absolutely necessary because he pincheth onely upon not Believing as Damnable He that believeth not shall be damned And howsoever some grant that as to the visible profession of the Christian Religion It is dangerâ—â—â— to say with how little faith God will save a distinct knowledge of Christ Jesus is necessary Yet we know what is extant abroad of a possibility of Salvation without an express and distinct knowledge of the name of Christ according to that of Heb. 1. He that comes to God must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him And I ask Whether although it be a duty to work out Salvation with fear and trembling and to grow in the Grace and Knowledge of the Lord Iesus yet is it not very presumptuous and dangerous to set a Neplus infra a stint and bound of so much Knowledge and so much grace of Christ as to the degrees of it without which there is no Salvation I ask Two of the Principles Heb. 6. of great controversie once more from that Heb. 6. VVhether although I question not but that both the Proposer and Examiner believe four of these Principles viz. Repentance Faith the Resurrection and Iudgement yet whether the Proposer be able to dissolve the doubts of thousands as to those other two the Doctrine of Baptismes and the Laying on of hands concerning which the more Conscientious and tender the People of God are about the true worship of God and Christ Jesus the more they finde their loss about the holy waies and means of it Thirdly I ask What have been most of all the Forms and Prescripts of Doctrine and worship since the great Apostacie and falling away but meer Formes and Pictures without the power and life of Godliness In which respect may I not say in the Language of Iames As the Body without the Spirit and Faith without works is dead So what have been the several National Models Platforms Frames and Forms The meer Formalities of State-Forms of worship of the Ecclesiastical Governments which the Fathers have built and the Children have broke either in the East or Western Churches even to the last and Youngest and Fairest of the Pictures but Pictures drawn to the Life and yet but liveless Pictures and Proforma I most humbly and thankfully acknowledge the Heavenly discoveries of many Truths of Iesus wrapt up confusedly even in Babylon it selfe and the people of the God of heaven with them from whence he hath and will gloriously redeem them both I acknowledge the several blessed degrees Gods light and Gods people wrapt up in the National Reformations and increasings of Light wrapt up in several Clouds of Reformations so call'd in our owne and other Nations I am far from imagining that people should hold nothing do nothing c. for I unfeignedly desire as the Scripture speaks in a Scripture-sence that all men might be saved That every Man were a Noble Man an ingenious Berean Examining by the Scriptures